Hezbollah Declares Defense Necessity in Wake of Lethal ‘israeli’ Attacks, Says Official

In a televised speech broadcast by Hezbollah’s al-Manar network during a protest in Beirut on Saturday, Mahmoud Qamati, deputy head of Hezbollah’s political council, condemned recent developments in the Beqaa Valley as a fresh massacre and an unprecedented act of aggression against Lebanon.

He emphasized the need for resistance, questioning what options remain for self-defense and national protection.

The comments were made following reports from two Hezbollah officials on Saturday that eight members of the group were killed in airstrikes near the village of Rayak in northeast Lebanon late on Friday.

A Hezbollah official has reported that three local commanders are among the deceased, identifying them as Ali al-Moussawi, Mohammed al-Moussawi, and Hussein Yaghi.

Yaghi was the offspring of Mohammed Yaghi, a notable figure in Hezbollah and among its founding members, who passed away in 2023. Mohammed Yaghi also held the position of a close associate to the former Hezbollah leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Beirut in September 2024.

The Ministry of Public Health in Lebanon reported on Saturday that Israeli airstrikes targeting eastern Lebanon resulted in the deaths of 10 individuals and left 24 others injured, among them three children.

Members of Parliament have expressed that verbal condemnations are insufficient as the ongoing Israeli strikes persist.

Rami Abu Hamdan, representing Hezbollah’s Loyalty to Resistance parliamentary faction, declared on Saturday that mere condemnations fall short in response to continuous Israeli assaults. He emphasized that Lebanese lives should not be regarded as expendable.

Abu Hamdan criticized Lebanese authorities for their lack of response to Israeli assaults on Lebanon.

The lawmaker urged a comprehensive overhaul in national defense strategies, emphasizing that the events witnessed in the Beqaa, along with the repeated occurrences in southern Lebanon, should not be accepted as normal or dismissively routine.

He emphasized that it is unacceptable for officials to act like detached political analysts, simplifying these attacks to what they describe as routine Israeli strikes expected before every ceasefire monitoring committee convenes.

Abu Hamdan urged Lebanese authorities to halt their involvement in the committee’s meetings “until the aggression ceases.”

A Lebanese legislator has called for decisive and effective action from the authorities, urging both the government and the state to fully embrace their responsibilities. The lawmaker criticized the current approach of submission, claiming it emboldens criminal elements to threaten Lebanon’s security and the well-being of its citizens. The legislator warned that further political maneuvering without decisive strength would result in wasted time, lives, and resources for the nation.

Israeli breaches of the November 2024 ceasefire have resulted in the deaths and injuries of hundreds of Lebanese citizens. Israel maintains its occupation of five Lebanese highlands captured during the recent conflict, along with other territories in Lebanon that it has held for an extended period.

In a dramatic turn of events, Israel launched military strikes against Lebanon in October 2023. This conflict intensified over the following months, culminating in a full-scale war by September 2024. The hostilities have thus far resulted in over 4,000 fatalities and approximately 17,000 injuries.

Lebanese authorities have consistently called for exerting pressure on Tel Aviv to halt its assaults and adhere to the conditions of the ceasefire. They are advocating for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the territories seized in the most recent conflict.