Hezbollah Chief Naim Qassem Demands Israel Fully Withdraw From All Lebanese Territory

Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem said Lebanon and its Resistance, army, and people have entered a new phase titled “Breaking the Israeli Project,” after what he described as the failure of Israel’s efforts to eliminate Hezbollah militarily, politically, culturally, socially, and humanly.

“AhlulBayt News Agency: Hezbollah Secretary General, Sheikh Naim Qassem, affirmed that the ceasefire agreement concluded on 27 November 2024 came after the Israeli occupation tried to end the resistance, noting that the balance of power imposed a different reality and foiled those attempts”

ABNA English

In a televised address, Qassem declared, “The withdrawal must take place according to a timetable,” and said “Israel has no option but to fully withdraw from all Lebanese territory, without retaining an inch,” as Israel-Lebanon talks resumed in Washington.

ABNA English

Qassem also linked the battlefield to the outcome, saying, “Had the Resistance not been on the battlefield, and had there not been the legendary, great martyrdom-seeking youth,” the result would not have been reached.

The New Region reported that the fifth round of negotiations opened in Washington on Tuesday, with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun rejecting both Israel’s occupation and foreign interference and expressing hope for “the full restoration of Lebanon’s sovereignty over every grain of its soil.”

Qassem’s call for withdrawal came as Lebanese and Israeli sides traded accusations over ceasefire violations, with The Jerusalem Post saying Hezbollah claimed the IDF “violated” the ceasefire after soldiers opened fire with “automatic weapons toward a group of civilians” near Nabatiya at approximately 11:30 a.m.

The Jerusalem Post also quoted Hezbollah’s characterization that the incident “constitutes a blatant violation of the ceasefire, which the resistance [Hezbollah’s term for itself] has been careful to uphold until now,” as the fifth round of negotiations centered on “pilot areas” where Israeli forces would withdraw.

Anadolu Ajansı

In Washington, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told the cabinet that his government would “accept nothing less than the end of the Israeli occupation in southern Lebanon,” while The New Region reported that Israeli officials were considering a US-backed proposal for a gradual troop withdrawal from southern Lebanon expected to be discussed during US-brokered talks in Washington from June 23-25.

The New Region further reported that Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar said negotiators would examine a proposed “pilot zone” near Nabatieh along the Litani River, where Israeli forces would withdraw, the Lebanese Army would deploy, and Hezbollah fighters would leave under US supervision.

While Hezbollah demanded full withdrawal, Israeli officials and lawmakers said Israel would not withdraw from parts of southern Lebanon, with Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz telling on X that “Israel has no intention of withdrawing from theBeaufort, which is an integral part of the security zone in Lebanon.”

“June 23, 2026 | This Is Beirut Israel’s Offer to Lebanon: Land for Hezbollah’s Disarmament The interests of Lebanon and Israel align on the core issue of disarming Hezbollah”

Foundation for Defense of Democracies

The New Region also reported that Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said “Israel would not withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon as long as Iran-backed Hezbollah remained active there,” and that “There will be no Israeli withdrawal from the security zone in Lebanon, including the Beaufort Ridge.”

In Beirut, Xinhua reported that Qassem said the ceasefire agreement must be fully implemented and stressed that there is “no option before Israel except a full withdrawal from all Lebanese land without retaining a single inch under any pretext.”

Xinhua added that a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel took effect on June 20 and that the truce largely held until Tuesday, when two people were killed by Israeli fire in southern Lebanon, prompting accusations of ceasefire violations.