Hezbollah "Military Operations Against Israel Continue... Battle Will Prolong"

EU, Emergency Foreign Ministers Meeting

Lebanon's pro-Iran armed faction Hezbollah has expressed its determination to continue military operations against Israel.

According to major foreign media on the 30th (local time), Hezbollah's second-in-command Naim Qassem said in a speech that day, "We will not move from our current position," and "We will continue to confront the enemy Israel to support the Gaza Strip and Palestine." Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was assassinated by the Israeli military on the 27th.

Israeli Military Airstrikes Hezbollah Facilities in Lebanon (Photo by Yonhap News)

Qassem emphasized, "Hezbollah's military operations have continued at the same or faster pace even after Nasrallah was killed," adding, "We are only implementing a minimal part of our combat continuation plan, and the battle will be prolonged." He also said, "We will confront all possibilities, including if Israel decides to enter Lebanon by land," and added, "Hezbollah forces are preparing for a ground invasion."

Qassem also expressed confidence that "the Israeli enemy will not achieve its objectives," stating, "We will win as we did when confronting Israel in 2006, and a little patience is required." This appears to recall the 2006 incident when the Israeli military crossed the border into Lebanon to rescue two soldiers from Hezbollah, losing 121 troops and ending the conflict after 34 days of fighting.

Qassem stated, "Hezbollah will elect a new secretary-general as soon as possible based on internal procedures." Although there have been reports that Nasrallah's successor is his cousin and Hezbollah's executive director Hashim Safieddine, Hezbollah reportedly issued a statement calling these reports "unreliable."

Meanwhile, as the Middle East situation deteriorates, European Union (EU) foreign ministers held an emergency video conference on the same day. Josep Borrell, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, chaired the meeting in the afternoon to discuss the Middle East situation and the EU's response measures. Although it was an informal meeting and no concrete decisions were made, additional proposals regarding future response directions are expected.