In a revealing interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday, Hezbollah’s deputy leader, Sheikh Naim Qassem, declared that the Lebanon-based group’s involvement along the Israel-Lebanon border is directly tied to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Qassem stated that Hezbollah would cease its military actions immediately if a comprehensive ceasefire is reached in Gaza.
During the 40-minute discussion held at Hezbollah’s political office in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Qassem emphasized, “If there is a cease-fire in Gaza, we will stop without any discussion.” He further elaborated that Hezbollah’s current role in the Israel-Hamas war is primarily as a support front for Hamas, indicating that their military support would dissolve with the cessation of hostilities in Gaza.
However, Qassem expressed concerns about the potential ambiguity of partial or incomplete ceasefire arrangements. “If what happens in Gaza is a mix between cease-fire and no cease-fire, war and no war, we can’t answer [how we would react] now because we don’t know its shape, its results, its impacts,” he explained.