BEIRUT — In a fiery address during Ashura commemorations on Sunday, Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem vowed the group would not disarm or surrender despite increasing Israeli military pressure and a looming diplomatic push from the United States.
“This [Israeli] threat will not make us accept surrender,” Qassem declared in a televised speech to thousands in Beirut’s southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold.
The speech came just a day before US envoy Thomas Barrack is due to meet Lebanese officials with a request for Hezbollah to disarm by the end of 2025, according to a senior Lebanese official who requested anonymity.
‘Not Now, Not Later’
Qassem, who assumed leadership after Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli strike in September, was defiant:
“Those who think Hezbollah will turn in its arms are ignorant,” said Hussein Jaber, a 28-year-old participant in the rally. “Not now, not later.”
Thousands of Hezbollah supporters dressed in black and marched through southern Beirut, waving Hezbollah, Lebanese, Palestinian, and Iranian flags, and carrying portraits of the slain Nasrallah.
Ceasefire Violations and Escalating Tensions
Qassem’s remarks follow renewed Israeli strikes over the weekend. On Sunday, the Israeli military confirmed attacks on targets in the eastern Bekaa Valley and southern Lebanon, saying it had struck Hezbollah’s weapons systems and military infrastructure.
According to Lebanon’s National News Agency, the strikes came a day after one person was killed and six others wounded in southern raids. Israel claims the raids are responses to Hezbollah violations of the November ceasefire, which called for:
- Hezbollah to pull back north of the Litani River, 30 km from the Israeli border
- Israel to withdraw from five strategic positions inside Lebanon
While Beirut says it’s dismantling Hezbollah’s southern infrastructure, Israeli forces have remained deployed and continued strikes.
‘Conditions First, Then Talks’
Qassem insisted any discussion of disarmament must be conditional:
“Israel must withdraw from the occupied territories, stop its aggression, release prisoners, and reconstruction must begin. Only then can we discuss national security strategy.”
Wider Implications and Regional Reverberations
Qassem also rejected any normalization with Israel:
“We will not accept normalization with the Israeli enemy,” he said, responding to Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, who recently expressed interest in establishing relations with Lebanon and Syria.
- Lebanon, still technically at war with Israel, did not respond to the proposal.
- Syria called normalization talks “premature.”
Ashura Across the Region
Ashura, which commemorates the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, grandson of Prophet Mohammed, was marked across the Shiite world.
- Iraq saw the largest gatherings in Najaf and Karbala
- In south Lebanon, hundreds marched in Nabatiyeh, an area frequently targeted by Israeli airstrikes
- In Damascus, Syria, Shiites gathered under heavy security at the Sayyida Zeinab shrine, though no foreign pilgrims were allowed this year due to security concerns
“The Syrian state has bolstered its protection,” said Jaafar al-Amine, a shrine official. “There have been no pilgrims from Iran, Iraq or Lebanon this year.”
FAQs
Who is Naim Qassem?
He is the new leader of Hezbollah, succeeding Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in September 2025.
What did Qassem say about disarmament?
He categorically rejected the idea, saying Hezbollah will not surrender its weapons “now or later,” and demanded Israel fulfill its ceasefire obligations first.
Why is the US envoy visiting Lebanon?
US envoy Thomas Barrack is visiting to press Lebanese officials for Hezbollah’s disarmament by the end of 2025.
Is the ceasefire holding?
No. Israel continues airstrikes in Lebanon, and Hezbollah is accused of not fully withdrawing north of the Litani River, as per the agreement.
Is Lebanon moving toward normalizing ties with Israel?
No. Lebanese officials have not commented, and Qassem clearly rejected any normalization efforts.