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Hezbollah's leader claimed the ceasefire agreement with Israel is a "divine victory" for the militant group and the Lebanese political party.
In his first address since the ceasefire took effect on November 27, Naim Qassem said on November 29 that Iran-backed Hezbollah had "won because we have prevented the enemy from destroying Hezbollah" and weakening the Lebanese "resistance". .
Hezbollah, which controls most of southern Lebanon and is represented in Parliament, has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States, but the European Union blacklists only the group's military wing.
The ceasefire ended almost 14 months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. Israel increased the pressure by launching a ground offensive in southern Lebanon in October and carrying out massive airstrikes against Hezbollah strongholds in Beirut and other parts of the country.
The ceasefire also ends Hezbollah's presence in southern Lebanon. Israel must also withdraw troops from Lebanon within 60 days of the pact's entry into force.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on November 26 warned Hezbollah that Israel would take action if it suspected Hezbollah of violating the agreement.
On Friday, hours before Qassem's speech, Israel said it had struck a Hezbollah rocket launcher in southern Lebanon after detecting militant activity.
The United States and France are overseeing the implementation of the cease-fire agreement, which also includes parts that say thousands of Lebanese soldiers must move to southern Lebanon and work with United Nations peacekeepers and keep Hezbollah away from the Israeli border.
Hezbollah has fired rockets into northern Israel since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023. The group has said it will stop attacks only after Israel ends its war in Gaza. In the past 14 months, Israel has killed almost all of Hezbollah's leadership, including Qassem's predecessor Hassan Nasrallah, and destroyed the group's military arsenal.
Israel has vowed to ensure Iran does not continue to fund and arm the group and has warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad against easing Iranian aid to Hezbollah./REL
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