Hezbollah Claims 'Divine Victory' in Ceasefire Deal with Israel
The leader of Hezbollah has declared that the ceasefire agreement with Israel represents a divine victory for the Lebanese political and militant organization. In his first address following the ceasefire that took effect on November 27, Naim Qassem emphasized on November 29 that Hezbollah successfully thwarted Israeli efforts to dismantle the group and weaken Lebanese resistance.
Hezbollah, which governs a significant portion of southern Lebanon and has representation in the Lebanese parliament, faces designation as a terrorist organization by the United States, while Europe has only classified its political faction as such.
This ceasefire has halted nearly 14 months of intense conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, marked by Israel's ground offensive in southern Lebanon initiated in October and a series of massive aerial strikes on Hezbollah positions in Beirut and surrounding areas. Under the terms of the truce, Hezbollah's military presence in southern Lebanon will be ended, with Israel required to withdraw its ground forces within 60 days of the agreement's implementation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a warning to Hezbollah on November 26, insisting that Israel would respond decisively if there were any violations of the ceasefire. Just hours before Qassem's comments, Israel reported that it had targeted a Hezbollah rocket launcher in southern Lebanon after observing militant activities.
The United States and France are facilitating the enforcement of the truce, which enables thousands of Lebanese soldiers to move into southern Lebanon. They are set to collaborate with UN peacekeepers to ensure Hezbollah's withdrawal from the Israeli border area. Hezbollah had been launching rocket attacks on northern Israel since the escalation of the Gaza war in October 2023, stating it would cease such actions only when Israel halted its military operations in Gaza.
Over the past 14 months, Israeli forces have reportedly eliminated most of Hezbollah's leadership, including Qassem's predecessor, Hassan Nasrallah, and have significantly reduced the group's military resources. Israel remains committed to preventing Iran from continuing financial and military support for Hezbollah and has cautioned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad against enabling Iranian provisions for the militant group.
This latest development in the long-standing conflict highlights the complex interplay of military, political, and ideological struggles in the region, underscoring the ongoing volatility and uncertainty that characterize Middle Eastern geopolitics.
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