Hezbollah chief says Israel must 'unconditionally' leave Lebanon

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem stated on Friday that Israel has "no option" but to withdraw unconditionally from all Lebanese territory.

In a televised address, he rejected any normalization of ties and insisted that the Lebanese army must deploy exclusively in the south, with no tolerance for Israeli buffer zone. While direct talks have been held in Washington, Hezbollah demands the immediate removal of all Israeli military positions within Lebanon, warning that any lingering presence will be treated as an occupation.