Daijiworld Media Network - Beirut
Beirut, Jun 20: An Israeli airstrike reportedly struck the Jabal al-Rafee area near the southern Lebanese town of Sajd on Friday, just hours after a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel came into force, according to Lebanon's National News Agency.
The truce officially took effect at 4 p.m. local time, but tensions remained high as reports of fresh military action emerged shortly afterwards.
Amid the fragile ceasefire, Naim Qassem issued a strong warning, stating that Hezbollah would respond with force if Israel launched further attacks.
In a televised address broadcast on Al-Manar television, Qassem said threats would not intimidate Hezbollah members and asserted that attempts to weaken the group had failed.
"The project to eliminate Hezbollah and consolidate the occupation has failed, and Israel will eventually withdraw from every inch of our land," he said.
Qassem described the current situation as one of the most critical periods for Lebanon, alleging the existence of a joint American-Israeli agenda aimed at reshaping the country's future. He accused Israel of trying to turn Lebanon's political institutions against Hezbollah and obstructing reconstruction efforts in areas damaged by months of conflict.
He also reiterated that Hezbollah's weapons were intended solely for confronting Israel and called on Israel to respect Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial boundaries.
Earlier in the day, Ibrahim al-Moussawi, a member of Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc known as “Loyalty to the Resistance”, said the group would continue to honour the ceasefire agreement as long as Israel also complied with its terms.
Meanwhile, Lebanon's Public Health Emergency Operations Center reported that Israeli military operations since March 2 have resulted in 3,980 deaths and 12,001 injuries across the country.
The latest strike has raised concerns about the durability of the ceasefire, with both sides closely watching developments amid fears that renewed hostilities could undermine efforts to de-escalate the conflict.