Hezbollah Chief Qassem: Attacks on Israel Are Response to Ceasefire Violations, Unrelated to Any Other Battle

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem delivered a televised address asserting that his organization's resumed rocket attacks on Israel are a response to 15 months of Israeli ceasefire violations, including continued airstrikes and military presence in Lebanon since the November 2024 truce. Qassem framed the strikes as a "legitimate right" in response to "Israeli-American aggression," specifically citing the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in recent US-Israeli bombing operations. He challenged Lebanon's government stance calling for all weapons to fall under state control, labeling it "a grave error," while insisting that "resistance and arms are a right" as long as occupation persists. Separately, French President Emmanuel Macron urged Prime Minister Netanyahu to avoid launching a ground offensive in Lebanon and called for a return to the ceasefire agreement.