ALBAWABA - Hezbollah has prepared for a protracted conflict, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem warned on Friday that Israel would encounter unforeseen events on the battlefield.
During a speech on International Quds Day, Qassem stated that Hezbollah has learned from past conflicts and feels that the current situation is appropriate for confronting Israel and undermining its position. Additionally, he asserted that Israel lacks what he called a true "target bank."
Qassem described the current crisis as a struggle of resistance against Israeli strikes on Lebanon, arguing that Israel is unable to accomplish its military goals. He went on to say that the conflict is an example of "legitimate self-defense" against Israeli and American aggression.
The Hezbollah leader emphasized that the conflict is a Lebanese effort to defend the nation and is not being fought on behalf of any outside group. He added that Israel has been attacking Lebanon nonstop for the last 15 months and asserted that resistance is still the only practical way to stop them.
He encouraged the Lebanese government to cease making what he called needless compromises and denounced diplomatic attempts to put an end to the conflict, claiming they had failed to stop fatalities, displacement, and devastation.
His comments followed Hezbollah's announcement earlier this week that it was launching an operation called "Al-Asf Al-Ma'koul," stepping up its attacks on Israeli targets in retaliation for Israeli strikes throughout Lebanon.
Hezbollah has been attacking Israeli military installations since March 2, citing the death of Iran's former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and continuous Israeli strikes on Lebanese land as justifications. While ground operations into southern Lebanon started on March 3, Israel has continued to launch airstrikes on regions in southern and eastern Lebanon as well as the southern suburbs of Beirut.
The Israeli military is getting ready for a significant ground operation to create a security buffer zone within Lebanese territory, according to Israeli media on Friday night.
