"Hezbollah will not disarm unless Israeli aggression stops: Qassem"

Hezbollah's leader, Naim Qassem, declared on Sunday that while the Lebanese group is open to peace, it will not disarm or cease its confrontation with Israel until Israeli air raids end and its forces withdraw from southern Lebanon.

Addressing thousands of supporters in Beirut's southern suburbs during Ashura, a significant day in the Shia Muslim calendar, Qassem stated, "We cannot be asked to soften our stance or lay down arms while [Israeli] aggression continues." Ashura commemorates the 680 AD Battle of Karbala, an event that symbolizes resistance against tyranny and injustice for Shia Muslims.

The Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut was adorned with yellow banners and filled with chants of resistance as Qassem delivered his speech. He was notably flanked by portraits of his predecessor, Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed by Israel last September.

Later on Sunday, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported that the Israeli military launched a series of air strikes on southern and eastern Lebanon, including the area around the eastern city of Baalbek, underscoring the persistent tensions in the region.