Hazbollah pager / Envato Market

by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Staff

(Worthy News) – Hezbollah’s deputy leader Naim Qassem declared Saturday that the group will not disarm, as supporters marked one year since the killing of longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike.

Speaking by video to thousands gathered in Beirut, Qassem praised Nasrallah’s legacy and vowed that Hezbollah would continue confronting Israel. “We will not leave the field and we will not give up our weapons,” he said. “We still maintain positions in the villages facing the Israeli enemy. This is the real strength of the resistance.”

The commemoration included visits to the Beirut shrine where Nasrallah is buried, as well as sites honoring senior Hezbollah figures Abbas al-Musawi and Safi al-Din. At 6:21 p.m.–the exact moment Nasrallah was assassinated in the Dahiyeh district last year–participants observed a minute of silence.

Qassem used his speech to attack U.S. envoy to Lebanon Thomas Barrett, accusing Washington of pushing for Hezbollah’s disarmament to serve Israel’s interests. “Disarmament means dismantling our strength in response to Israeli demands,” he warned. He also criticized the Lebanese government, alleging it was prioritizing the army against its own citizens rather than “the real enemy.”

The deputy leader expressed thanks to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and the Amal Movement, declaring Hezbollah and Amal “are one on the ground.” He closed by saluting “resistance fighters, prisoners, and families,” vowing to continue “in Nasrallah’s path.”

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun urged unity during the anniversary, calling it a time “to rally around the project of a strong and united state, with one army and institutions that defend sovereignty and dignity.” Meanwhile, Houthi Prime Minister Mohammed Muftah praised Nasrallah’s “unforgettable testament,” and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam met with Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani to discuss regional ties.

Qassem’s defiant message comes amid growing calls within Lebanon and internationally for Hezbollah to disarm, as tensions with Israel remain high.

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