BEIRUT – Lebanon’s Hezbollah declared on Thursday that it retains the “legitimate right to resist Israeli occupation” and pledged its continued support for the Lebanese army amid renewed border tensions.
In a statement, the group said Lebanon remains committed to the ceasefire but emphasized that it is “not obligated to enter political negotiations” with Israel. The remarks come a week after Israeli forces reportedly crossed into southern Lebanon, killing a municipal employee despite a US-brokered truce.
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Lebanese President Joseph Aoun had earlier instructed the army to respond to any Israeli incursions, calling the cross-border actions a violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty. Hezbollah said it would “stand by our army and our people to protect the sovereignty of our country” and “defend itself against an enemy that continues its aggression.”
The US-brokered ceasefire, reached in November 2024 after more than a year of conflict triggered by the Gaza war, has largely held but remains fragile as sporadic Israeli airstrikes continue along the border.
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