Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qassem accused the Lebanese government of ‘following Israel’s order’ for the suspension of flights from Tehran, the capital of Iran, to Beirut.
In his video message, Hezbollah leader Qassem reacted to US President Donald Trump’s stance on the Palestinian issue and made statements about Israel’s occupation in southern Lebanon.
Qassem stated that Trump wants to carry out ‘political genocide after the failed humanitarian genocide’ against the Palestinian people with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Stating that Trump’s plan for the Palestinian people ‘absolutely cannot be implemented,’ Qassem said, ‘However, this shows how bad and humiliating the US is in the international arena.’
Hezbollah’s secretary-general said that Israeli troops must completely withdraw from Lebanese territory by February 18, adding that Israel ‘has no excuse’ for maintaining a military presence at any point in southern Lebanon.
As part of the ceasefire brokered by Washington in November, Israeli forces were given 60 days to withdraw from southern Lebanon. At Israel’s request, this deadline was later extended until February 18. However, it is now claimed that the Israeli army has requested to continue to maintain troops in five locations in Lebanon and that the US administration has given its approval.
Naim Qassem said that if Israel continues to be present on Lebanese territory after February 18, it will be considered an occupation and the Lebanese government should oppose it. ‘Everyone knows how an occupation is handled,’ Qassem said, without directly threatening to attack Israel.
Regarding the postponement of flights from Iran to Lebanon, Qassem claimed that this was done in response to an Israeli attack, saying, ‘The prime minister decided to prevent it under the pretext of aviation and the safety of civilians. The problem is not ensuring the safety of civilians in a difficult time; the problem is the implementation of Israel’s order,’ he said.
Accusing the Lebanese government of implementing Israel’s orders, Qassem said, ‘Let the plane land and let’s see what Israel will do. It is not right for us to listen to this.’
Qassem called on the Lebanese government to ‘reconsider its decision on the flights and reveal its position on its sovereignty.’
On the other hand, Qassem called for attending the funeral of Hezbollah Secretaries General Hassan Nasrallah and Hashim Safieddine, who will be buried on February 23, and asked for compliance with security measures at the funeral.
