On July 6, 2025, Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem delivered a defiant speech during Ashura in Beirut, rejecting Israeli demands to disarm and vowing resilience amid a looming U.S. envoy visit.
Addressing thousands in Beirut’s southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold, Qassem declared, “This Israeli threat will not make us accept surrender,” during Ashura, a Shiite commemoration of Imam Hussain’s martyrdom, per Reuters. Succeeding Hassan Nasrallah, killed in a September 2024 Israeli strike, Qassem demanded Israel honour the November 2024 ceasefire, withdraw troops, and release prisoners before discussing Hezbollah’s arms, per Al Jazeera. Supporters waved Lebanese and Palestinian flags.
The speech comes ahead of a visit on July 7 by U.S. envoy Thomas Barrack, who is urging Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year, according to a Lebanese official. Despite a ceasefire that requires a withdrawal of 30 kilometres north of the Litani River, Israel continues to carry out strikes, citing violations by Hezbollah. Lebanon has reported dismantling some of Hezbollah’s infrastructure in the south, but Israel still maintains five strategic positions. Additionally, Syria has rejected normalisation talks, labelling them as “premature.”
In an exclusive interview for #AlMayadeen, Hezbollah’s Secretary-General, Sheikh Naim Qassem, stated that every military position was manned until the final moment of "Israel's" war on Lebanon; no post was left empty, no rank unassigned.
As for the group's capabilities, Sheikh… pic.twitter.com/AcTv4Zk1sB
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) July 6, 2025Supporters of Hezbollah, such as 28-year-old Hussein Jaber, argued, “Weapons can’t be handed over, not now, not later,” according to AFP. The Ashura commemorations in Iraq and Syria are seeing a decline in pilgrimages due to regional unrest, highlighting the ongoing tensions. In post-Assad Syria, the Shiite minority fears reprisals, which has led to restrictions on processions at Sayyida Zeinab.
Hezbollah’s Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem says the Lebanese resistance group will not surrender to threats by Israel and the US.
Follow Press TV on Telegram: https://t.co/mLGcUTS2ei pic.twitter.com/yYKYNvRzEr
— Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) July 6, 2025Qassem’s speech, which affects Lebanon’s 5 million citizens and the geopolitics of the region, reinforces Hezbollah’s position amid a war that has resulted in the deaths of 2,500 Lebanese, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.
Read: Lebanon’s President Warns Against Rushed Hezbollah Disarmament
The speech fuels discussions about sovereignty and security, especially in light of Israel’s $1.5 billion increase in its defense budget, which escalates tensions. With U.S. mediation on the horizon, the speech is shaping dynamics in the Middle East and poses challenges to the implementation of a ceasefire and overall regional stability.
