Military Space News
WAR REPORT
Hezbollah says to help army build Lebanon's defensive capacities
Hezbollah says to help army build Lebanon's defensive capacities
by AFP Staff Writers
Beirut, Lebanon (AFP) Nov 29, 2024

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem on Friday vowed to cooperate with the Lebanese army and help build the country's defence capacities amid efforts to implement the terms of a ceasefire with Israel.

Qassem was speaking for the first time since the start of the ceasefire on Wednesday that envisions both Hezbollah and the Israeli military withdrawing from south Lebanon and the Lebanese military deploying there alongside UN peacekeepers.

"We will work to... strengthen Lebanon's defensive capacities," said Qassem, who succeeded Hezbollah's former leader Hassan Nasrallah after he was killed in a massive Israeli air strike on south Beirut in September.

"The resistance will be ready to prevent the enemy from taking advantage of Lebanon's weakness along with our partners... first and foremost the army," he added in a televised speech.

"The coordination between the resistance and the Lebanese army will be at a high level to implement the commitments of the agreement," Qassem continued, adding that "no one is betting on problems or disagreements" with the army.

Qassem also declared that his group had achieved a "great victory" against Israel that "surpasses that of July 2006", referring to the last time Hezbollah went to war with Israel.

"We won because we prevented the enemy from destroying Hezbollah... (and) from annihilating or weakening the resistance."

Qassem vowed that "our support for Palestine will not stop and will continue through different means".

- 'Threat thwarted' -

The truce ended a conflict that began the day after Hamas's unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, when Hezbollah began a low-intensity exchange of cross-border fire in solidarity with their Palestinian allies.

In late September, Israel intensified its campaign against Hezbollah, launching fierce air strikes and later sending in ground troops.

Lebanon's health ministry said at least 3,961 people have been killed in the country since October 2023 as a result of the conflict, most of them in recent weeks, while 16,520 were wounded.

On the Israeli side, the hostilities with Hezbollah killed at least 82 soldiers and 47 civilians, authorities there say.

Earlier Friday, the Israeli military said it struck a Hezbollah rocket launcher in southern Lebanon after detecting militant activity in the area.

"A short while ago, terrorist activity and movement of a Hezbollah portable rocket launcher were identified in southern Lebanon," the army said.

"The threat was thwarted in an (Israeli Air Force) strike," it added in a statement that featured a video of the air strike on a slowly moving truck.

Israel has vowed to continue acting against any threats even after the ceasefire.

The military also announced a nighttime curfew in south Lebanon for the third day in a row, warning residents they are "strictly forbidden to move or travel south of the Litani River" between 5:00 pm (1500 GMT) on Friday and 07:00 AM (0500 GMT) the following day.

Under the ceasefire agreement, Israeli troops will hold their positions but "a 60-day period will commence in which the Lebanese military and security forces will begin their deployment towards the south", a US official told reporters on condition of anonymity.

Then, Israel should begin a phased withdrawal without a vacuum forming that Hezbollah or others could rush into, the official said.

Related Links
Space War News

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
WAR REPORT
Five forgotten conflicts of 2024
Paris (AFP) Nov 27, 2024
The wars in the Mideast and Ukraine-Russia have dominated world headlines in 2024 but several other conflicts are ravaging countries and regions. Here we turn the spotlight on five of those: - Sudan - War has raged in Sudan since April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The conflict has left tens of thousands dead and some 26 million people - around half of Sudan's population - facing severe food insecurity. Both sides have been accuse ... read more

WAR REPORT
Russia gave N. Korea anti-air missiles in exchange for troops: Seoul security chief

Ukraine seeking new air-defence systems after latest Russian strike: Zelensky

Think fast: A missile-defense system built for speed

Poland opens long-awaited US missile base

WAR REPORT
Putin threatens Kyiv with new hypersonic missile

NATO vows Ukraine backing after Russian missile 'intimidation'

Putin orders serial production of Oreshnik hypersonic missile

Russia vows response after Ukraine fires long-range US missiles

WAR REPORT
Russia launches massive aerial attack on Ukraine's energy sector

PLP launches drone kit for installing bird diverters on power lines

'Record' drone barrage pummels Ukraine as missile tensions seethe

Drones spotted flying near US Air Force bases in UK

WAR REPORT
Fleet Space Centauri 6 advances resilient SATCOM for defence

SpaceX launches secret 'Optus-X' payload atop Falcon 9 rocket

Fort Detrick Maryland chosen as permanent site for Wideband Military SATCOM training

Momentus secures contract for HALO Prototype from SDA

WAR REPORT
Netherlands eyes joining European weapons programmes

Finland mulls reintroduction of banned anti-personnel mines

Cash-strapped UK to decommission aging assault ships, helicopters

UK and Moldova sign defence pact to counter 'Russian aggression'

WAR REPORT
Rheinmetall, Lithuania pave way to building ammunition plant

Zelensky approves Ukraine 2025 budget giving 60% to defence

China probes top military official for corruption; Crackdown explained

Russian legislators give final backing to army spending surge

WAR REPORT
Russia waging 'reckless' sabotage campaign in Europe: UK spy chief

Japan PM says will have 'frank discussions' with Trump

Swiss government rejects tightening neutrality rules

Cyprus seeks NATO membership with US help

WAR REPORT
New Technique Enables Mass Production of Metal Nanowires

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.