Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said on Tuesday that Israel must fully withdraw from all Lebanese territory by the agreed deadline, warning that any delay would be unacceptable. 'Israel has no choice but to fully withdraw from all Lebanese territory, without retaining an inch,' Qassem said in his second speech in recent days.
The remarks come amid ongoing tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border, where a ceasefire agreement reached in November 2024 requires Israeli forces to withdraw from southern Lebanon by a specified timetable. The Lebanese army has been deployed to the area to maintain stability.
Qassem also stated that Hezbollah would cooperate with the Lebanese army to ensure the withdrawal is carried out. 'We will cooperate with the Lebanese Army to the utmost extent,' he said, without providing further details on the timeline.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has been monitoring the situation and has urged both sides to adhere to the terms of the ceasefire. The Israeli government has not yet responded to Qassem's latest comments.
