Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem has said that Israel must completely withdraw from Lebanese territory, claiming that the ongoing regional conflict has entered a new stage with what he described as the defeat of the “Israeli-American project.” Speaking at the Central Ashura Council in Beirut, Qassem portrayed recent developments as a major shift in the regional balance and a success for the resistance movement. He said attempts to weaken Hezbollah had failed, claiming that the group had overcome efforts aimed at destroying it.

“We have broken the Israeli-American project and entered a new phase,” Qassem said, according to Press TV. Discussing the future of Israel-Lebanon relations, the Hezbollah leader called for an end to military actions and violations of Lebanese sovereignty. He insisted that Israel must stop attacks and withdraw its forces from Lebanese land, air, and maritime areas.

Qassem also accused Israel of pursuing expansionist ambitions, saying Hezbollah emerged as a response to what he described as occupation and aggression. He credited the group’s military capabilities to years of resistance and support from Iran, claiming that this had created a strong deterrent against Israeli operations.

He further described a recent US-Iran memorandum of understanding as a major setback for Washington and Tel Aviv, calling it evidence of the failure of their policies in the region. Qassem praised Iran’s leadership and resilience, saying the country was playing a key role in shaping regional developments.

Israeli military operations have continued in southern Lebanon. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had killed six Hezbollah members, alleging they posed a threat to Israeli troops operating in the area. The IDF stated that the strikes were carried out after identifying armed individuals in locations including Zawtar al-Sharqiya and Ali al-Taher Ridge. At the same time, diplomatic discussions are reportedly underway in Washington involving Lebanese and Israeli representatives over possible arrangements in southern Lebanon. The proposed framework reportedly focuses on the withdrawal of Israeli forces from certain areas and the deployment of the Lebanese army in their place.