by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Staff
(Worthy News) – Hezbollah’s deputy leader Naim Qassem declared Saturday that the group will not disarm, as supporters marked one year since the killing of longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike.
Speaking by video to thousands gathered in Beirut, Qassem praised Nasrallah’s legacy and vowed that Hezbollah would continue confronting Israel. “We will not leave the field and we will not give up our weapons,” he said. “We still maintain positions in the villages facing the Israeli enemy. This is the real strength of the resistance.”
The commemoration included visits to the Beirut shrine where Nasrallah is buried, as well as sites honoring senior Hezbollah figures Abbas al-Musawi and Safi al-Din. At 6:21 p.m.–the exact moment Nasrallah was assassinated in the Dahiyeh district last year–participants observed a minute of silence.
Qassem used his speech to attack U.S. envoy to Lebanon Thomas Barrett, accusing Washington of pushing for Hezbollah’s disarmament to serve Israel’s interests. “Disarmament means dismantling our strength in response to Israeli demands,” he warned. He also criticized the Lebanese government, alleging it was prioritizing the army against its own citizens rather than “the real enemy.”
The deputy leader expressed thanks to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and the Amal Movement, declaring Hezbollah and Amal “are one on the ground.” He closed by saluting “resistance fighters, prisoners, and families,” vowing to continue “in Nasrallah’s path.”
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun urged unity during the anniversary, calling it a time “to rally around the project of a strong and united state, with one army and institutions that defend sovereignty and dignity.” Meanwhile, Houthi Prime Minister Mohammed Muftah praised Nasrallah’s “unforgettable testament,” and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam met with Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani to discuss regional ties.
Qassem’s defiant message comes amid growing calls within Lebanon and internationally for Hezbollah to disarm, as tensions with Israel remain high.
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
More Worthy News
After hours of tense negotiations, European Union leaders agreed to provide Ukraine with a 90 billion euro loan (about $100 billion) to meet the wartorn nation’s urgent financial needs. However, they failed to reach a consensus on whether the loan should be secured using Russia’s frozen assets held in Europe.
Several people were detained for trying to interrupt a pro-Israel demonstration at Dam Square in Amsterdam attended by around 2,000 people, police and organizers said.
Five Iranian Christians have been sentenced to a combined 55 years in prison amid a broader crackdown on devout Christian believers in Iran, a strict Islamic nation, sources told Worthy News Thursday.
Egyptian Christians facing religious-based violence and discrimination are increasingly relying on underground safe houses as authorities continue to fall short on protecting minority rights, Christian advocates say.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced plans Tuesday to overhaul the U.S. military’s Chaplain Corps, arguing the institution has drifted from its original mission and lost the “faith and virtue” that defined it when it was established under George Washington more than 250 years ago.
The United States has approved $11.1 billion in new arms-sales packages for Taiwan, signaling continued security support for the island even as President Donald Trump’s administration emphasizes trade and economic engagement with China, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation late Wednesday night that would criminalize gender transition treatments for minors, marking a significant victory for conservatives who argue the federal government must step in to protect children from irreversible medical procedures.