Hezbollah Prepares for Prolonged Conflict with Israel, Leader Declares

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem stated on Friday that his organization is prepared for a “long confrontation” with Israel, as Israel threatens to increase the damage inflicted on Lebanese infrastructure. The escalation follows Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel in response to the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in recent US-Israeli strikes.

Escalation and Justification

Qassem asserted that Lebanon is engaged in a “legitimate defensive battle against Israeli and American aggression.” He claimed that Hezbollah’s actions are not intended to initiate a wider conflict but rather to halt what he described as ongoing Israeli and American aggression. “We consider ourselves in a position of legitimate defense,” Qassem said, according to the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International (LBCI). He dismissed threats of assassination against him as “worthless.”

Israeli Response and Warnings

Israel has responded with strikes on Lebanese infrastructure, including a bridge over the Litani River, which the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated was a “key crossing” used by Hezbollah to move forces and prepare for combat. This marked the first acknowledged Israeli attack on Lebanese public infrastructure since the recent escalation.

Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that Lebanon will face an “increasing price” through damage to national infrastructure used by Hezbollah, and that the Lebanese government will be held accountable until Hezbollah is disarmed.

Recent Strikes and Casualties

On Friday, the IDF bombed several roads in southern Lebanon, restricting access from the north of the Litani River and the Bekaa valley. Shelling also reportedly hit a United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Nepalese battalion in Mays al-Jabal.

Reports indicate several casualties in recent strikes. Eight people were killed in the south Lebanese village of Miyeh w Miyeh near Sidon, and in Irkey, Mohammad Taqi buried his four daughters, aged six to 13, who were killed in an Israeli strike along with five relatives. A strike in Sawaneh killed two paramedics, one affiliated with Hezbollah and another with the Amal movement. A strike on a primary healthcare centre in Burj Qalawiya killed “12 doctors, paramedics and nurses on duty.”

IDF Operations and Claims

The IDF has bolstered troops in northern Israel and deployed forces deeper into southern Lebanon, aiming to “establish a forward defense.” The military claims to have conducted over 1,100 strikes in Lebanon since hostilities escalated, targeting Hezbollah’s Radwan Force, rocket launchers, command centers, and buildings used by the group. The IDF also reports killing over 380 members of Hezbollah and other groups, including two commanders responsible for rocket fire on Israel.

Hezbollah’s Quds Day Operation and Evacuation Warnings

Hezbollah launched attacks against Israel as part of a Quds Day operation, an annual anti-Israel demonstration. Israel has renewed evacuation warnings, including for Beirut’s southern suburbs, and dropped leaflets over the city urging Lebanese citizens to disarm Hezbollah and warning of potential devastation similar to that seen in Gaza. One flyer stated: “Lebanon is your decision, not someone else’s.”

Sources: Israel National News, The Times of Israel, The Times of Israel, Hindustan Times