The Secretary General of Hezbollah, Naim Qassem, during an interview with the party's Al-Manar channel, Oct. 26, 2025. (Photo taken from the Al-Manar website)
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said Sunday night that his party has no intention of provoking a new war against Israel but is ready to defend itself if a conflict erupts. He added that, despite this stance, he had no regrets about the decision taken on Oct. 8, 2023, to open a "support front" for Gaza, which led to a 13-month war of attrition with Israel. Qassem also reiterated his refusal to hand over his group's weapons arsenal, while emphasizing the importance of good cooperation with the Lebanese Army.
Qassem made these remarks during a lengthy interview with the party's Al-Manar channel, marking the first anniversary of his appointment as Hezbollah's fourth secretary general on Oct. 29, 2024, just weeks after a series of massive Israeli strikes had killed his predecessor, Hassan Nasrallah. Reflecting on his rise as leader after the assassination of the party's temporary secretary general Hashem Safieddine in an Israeli strike on the southern suburbs of Beirut, Qassem admitted that he hadn't expected Safieddine's death. "I felt for a few moments that my life had been turned upside down," he acknowledged.
Hezbollah does not want to give Israel 'pretexts'
Responding to a question about why Hezbollah has not retaliated against almost daily Israeli attacks (minus one mortar shell it fired a few days after the start of the Nov. 27, 2024 truce), the party's fourth secretary general said: "We are not going to launch battles. But if a battle is imposed on us, we will fight Israel to the last breath."
"Hezbollah handed power back to the Lebanese state after the cease-fire agreement, and the state is now responsible for defense, exercising sovereignty and preventing aggression," he stressed. He also reaffirmed his party's commitment to upholding the truce, stating: "If we respond now, it will be considered a violation of the agreement and we will give Israel a pretext." However, he did not express regret over Hezbollah's decision to open a support front for Hamas, saying it had been "the right decision." "If circumstances were repeated, we would make the same choice again," he added.
Qassem also reiterated his party's refusal to hand over its arsenal to the Lebanese authorities. "Given the army's inability to withstand all aggressions, the importance of resistance alongside the army is clear," he said. He stressed "the need for coordination between the army and the resistance to confront Israeli aggression," warning against "attempts to disarm" his party. He also highlighted Hezbollah's readiness to discuss a national defense strategy if hostilities cease, asserting that "resistance is a legitimate right ... and as long as there are aggressions and threats, the role of 'the Resistance' remains relevant."
Criticizing the Lebanese authorities once again, he lamented that, since the signing of the truce which Israel continues to violate, "the state has done nothing." "It must put on pressure and take responsibility," he called.
Qassem did not seek asylum in Iran during the war
Qassem also revealed that he refused to take refuge in Iran during the last war, "for moral and practical reasons," saying the battle "obliged him to remain among his comrades on the ground and that leadership could not be properly exercised far from the battlefield." He also spoke at length about the drone strike that targeted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's house in Caesarea on Oct. 19, 2024, stressing that it had been "the result of meticulous intelligence work and a clear political decision, just like the rocket attacks of 'the Resistance' against Tel Aviv."
Regarding reconstruction in areas devastated by the war and by systematic Israeli destruction along the border, even after the cease-fire, Qassem said the party was making "considerable efforts in this regard, to the extent of its capabilities," but said that reconstruction was "first and foremost the responsibility of the Lebanese state, because the aggression came from Israel," leaving the Lebanese people victims.
The reconstruction of areas destroyed by the war has been a goal of the Lebanese government "from day one," according to Prime Minister Nawaf Salam who spoke while on a visit to Saida ten days ago. However, international aid for reconstruction is contingent upon Hezbollah's disarmament, which the group refuses to discuss as long as Israel continues to occupy Lebanese border sites and continues its attacks on people, land and infrastructure.
Hezbollah's 'solid' relationship with Berri
Addressing his party's relationship with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, the Hezbollah secretary general said it is characterized by "exceptional solidity." He noted that coordination between the two sides "has always been optimal, especially during the war, when they maintained constant contact about developments on the ground and positions of 'the Resistance."
"The party keeps Berri constantly informed of all developments related to the actions of 'the Resistance', while the prime minister ensures coordination on his side without interruption," he added.
Regarding the parliamentary elections scheduled for spring 2026, he said that postponing the vote "only serves those pursuing goals far removed from the national interest." "We support elections to ensure the proper functioning of public institutions and maintain the party's broad representation in parliament. They could also be an opportunity to shift certain balances and improve the situation domestically," he said, without addressing the divisive issue of expatriate voting that has dominated debate in recent months.
