Hezbollah chief vows to ‘confront Israel with defence and sacrifice’

Israel has dealt heavy blows to Hezbollah’s leadership and arsenal, but the group’s leader Naim Qassem remained defiant. “Israel may occupy, destroy and kill, but we will confront it with defence and sacrifice,” he said in a speech. “Without the resistance, Israel would have reached the capital, Beirut, just as it reached Damascus. “Without the resistance, Israel would have occupied 600 square kilometres as it did in Syria, but instead, it is stuck on the hills because of the resistance.” Mr Qassem also accused the Lebanese government of making a “grave mistake” by deciding to disarm Hezbollah.