Hezbollah leader: We’ll never surrender weapons

Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem reaffirmed Friday that the group will not surrender its weapons, warning it would fight a “Karbala-style” battle if necessary. His remarks came a day after meeting with Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.

The statement follows the Lebanese government’s order for the army to draft a plan to place all weapons under state control by the end of August.

Qassem warned that Hezbollah would engage in such a battle “if necessary” to confront what he described as a project backed by Tel Aviv and Washington. “No matter the cost, we are confident we will win,” he said.

“This is our land and our homeland. We live together, or Lebanon will have no life,” Qassem added in a televised speech. “If you stand on the other side and attempt to overthrow us, Lebanon cannot be built without all its components. Either it remains with us together, or it’s farewell to the country.”

He criticized the government’s August 5 decision tasking the army with drafting a plan to disarm Hezbollah and other armed factions, calling it “a dangerous decision” that “strips the country of defensive weapons during aggression and makes it easier to kill the resistance.”

According to Qassem, the move violates Lebanon’s national pact of coexistence and risks plunging the country into a major crisis. “Do not drag the army into internal strife,” he said, praising the military’s record and noting that its leadership “does not want to take this path.”

He held the government “fully responsible” for any potential civil strife, internal explosion, or destruction in Lebanon, accusing it of abandoning its duty to defend the country and its citizens. “The government cannot strip the resistance of its legitimacy, nor does it have the right to do so,” he asserted.

Lebanese justice minister responds

Lebanon’s Justice Minister responded, saying that “threatening to destroy Lebanon to defend one’s weapons puts an end to the claim that these weapons are meant to defend the country.”

On protests

Qassem described the government’s decision as “non-charter,” revealing that Hezbollah and its ally, the Amal Movement, agreed to postpone street protests in hopes of reaching dialogue and amendments before confrontation.

He argued the government should first “assert its authority by expelling the Israeli Occupation” and ensuring that no 'Israeli' weapons are present on Lebanese soil. “Leave the occupation to us and do not confront it on our behalf,” he said. “Just as the occupation’s wars on Lebanon have failed, this one will fail too.”

Government’s disarmament plan

On August 7, the Lebanese government approved the goals outlined in a US-backed proposal to solidify a ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and 'Israel'. The plan includes “the gradual elimination of all non-governmental armed groups, including Hezbollah, across all Lebanese territory,” with support for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and Internal Security Forces (ISF).

It also calls for deploying the LAF to border areas and key internal sites, supporting 'Israel’s' withdrawal from five positions in southern Lebanon, and resolving border and prisoner issues through diplomacy.

US envoy: historic decision

US envoy Thomas Barrack called the government’s move “historic, bold, and correct,” noting that it sets in motion the full implementation of the November 2024 cessation of hostilities agreement, UN Security Council Resolution 1701, and the Taif Agreement.