Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem ( L) is shown with Ayatottal Ali Khamanei . Qassem fled to Tehran about 3 months ago on the plane of the Iranian FM. Iran’s IRGC Quds Force has reportedly been handling the military activities of Hezbollah ever since its top commanders were assassinated. Hezbollah is on of the Quds force militias
Tehran: Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem said Monday that Israel should withdraw from the occupied border areas in southern Lebanon, rejecting the extension of the cease-fire arrangements to Feb. 18.
“Israel should get out. … We don’t accept any extension of the deadline, and we will not accept any justification to prolong it even for a second,” Qassem said in a speech broadcast by Hezbollah-run Al Manar television station.
His remarks came after the White House announced in a statement Sunday that a U.S.-brokered cease-fire agreement that ended the war between Lebanon and Israel on Nov. 27 “will remain in effect until Feb. 18.”
The cease-fire’s 60-day deadline expired at dawn Sunday, but Israel refused to complete the pullout of its forces from southern Lebanon, arguing that the Lebanese Army has been slow in redeploying, while Hezbollah still maintains its military presence in areas prohibited by the agreement.
Lebanon has accused the Israeli military of procrastinating its troop withdrawal.
Israel’s decision to remain inside southern Lebanon prompted thousands of displaced residents to forcefully return to their towns and homes, most of which were destroyed by the 14-month war between Israel and Hezbollah that broke out in October 2023.
A total of 26 people were killed and 134 were wounded when Israeli forces opened fire on the returning residents Sunday and Monday, according to a new count by the Health Ministry.
Qassem said the international community should exert pressure on Israel to withdraw, warning that Hezbollah “has the right to act” to confront its continued occupation. He added that Israel violated the cease-fire agreement 1,350 times, while Hezbollah fully abided by the accord and refrained from violating it.
Hezbollah was greatly weakened during the war after receiving devastating blows, with Israel killing its top leaders and dismantling its military infrastructure.
Outgoing Prime Minister Najib Mikati said that Lebanon agreed to continue working under the cease-fire understanding until Feb.18 and “not to give Israel any excuse not to withdraw from all Lebanese territories.”
House Speaker Nabih Berri, who negotiated the truce deal on behalf of his Hezbollah ally, explained that he accepted the deadline extension on the condition that Israel immediately stops its violations and destruction of homes, “in addition to a commitment on the issue of prisoners.”
According to the White House statement, Lebanon, Israel and the United States will begin negotiations for the return of Lebanese prisoners captured after the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hezbollah opened a “support front” for Gaza.
The prisoners reportedly include seven detained during the war and nine arrested Sunday.
The war, which killed or wounded more than 20,000 people in Lebanon and displaced some 1.2 million, resulted in widespread destruction of villages, property, hospitals and schools in Beirut’s southern suburbs and in southern and eastern Lebanon.
Lebanese Army deploying more troops
Lebanese armed forces were deploying to several more villages in southern Lebanon on Monday, shortly after an announcement that a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah was being extended until February 18.
Lebanese forces partially re-entered the towns of Mais al Jabal and Houla, located along the southern demarcation line with neighbouring Israel.
Lines of cars and people carrying yellow Hezbollah flags were seen waiting at the entrance of the western sector of south Lebanon to enter their villages, accompanied by the Lebanese army.
“We are overjoyed that we can enter our villages despite the massive destruction,” one returnee told dpa.
“My son was killed here; I want to see if he was properly buried,” said another man.
A large portion of the population in southern Lebanon are supporters of the Hezbollah militia or its allied Amal movement.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), tens of thousands of residents have returned to the south and other areas in Lebanon since the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in November.
However, many towns near the border remain deserted due to the continued presence of Israeli troops.
Under the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah, the Lebanese army is tasked with securing the southern part of the country.
Hezbollah meanwhile is required to retreat north of the Litani River, approximately 30 kilometers from the southern border.
Israeli military spokesman Avichai Adraee stated on the platform X that Israeli forces needed more time to ensure that “Hezbollah cannot restore its military presence.”
Qassem fled to Tehran
Naim Qassem reportedly fled to Tehran on the plane of Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi who visited Beirut about 3 months ago for fear of being assassinated after former leader Hassan Nasrallah and his heir apparent Hashem Safieddine were both assassinated in the southern Beirut suburb al Dhahieh
UPI / DPA