Amidst continued Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement between the Hebrew state and Hezbollah, and the return of warplanes to intensive flights in Lebanese airspace, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem began the new year on Wednesday by announcing “giving the Lebanese state a chance to prove itself” and “bear responsibility” for Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon, while affirming that “the resistance has regained its health.”

Qassem said in a speech during a conference to honor cleric Mohammad Taqi Mesbah Yazdi in Tehran, which was broadcast via video technology: “The attack that took place in southern Lebanon is an attack on the (Lebanese) state and the international community.”

He added: "The resistance is continuing, it has regained its health, and it has the faith and the faithful group that enables it to become stronger."

He explained that "Hezbollah decided in the post-ceasefire phase to give the opportunity, and for the state to assume its responsibility, and to be a sponsor of the agreement, and the responsibility falls on it and on the countries sponsoring the agreement until Israel leaves Lebanon." He continued: "We proved through resistance that we did not allow the enemy to advance, and now is the opportunity for the Lebanese state to prove itself."

In the same context, member of the party's parliamentary bloc, MP Hussein Al-Hajj Hassan, pointed out that "since the cessation of hostilities, the enemy has been committing daily violations of this agreement, in many forms, including assassination, violence, killing, bulldozing orchards and homes, and incursions."

He said: “The areas that he could not reach during the aggression, he reaches today in many villages after the ceasefire, under the eyes of the five-member committee and international public opinion, and in the eyes of those claiming sovereignty, who did not utter a single word or statement, and they turned a deaf ear to national sovereignty and the international community that protects and colludes with the enemy, especially America and the five-member committee (to monitor the ceasefire). The collusion is clear and well-known, despite the Lebanese complaints, and America, France, the United Nations and the international community do not listen.”

Al-Hajj Hassan said: “The resistance is monitoring and following up on the violations of sovereignty. UNIFIL, which is supposed to have a role in implementing Resolution 1701, has received threats from the enemy. It is better for the great powers that are trusted by those claiming sovereignty to explain the violations and attacks that are taking place. What is happening reinforces our logic that the international community is complicit and does not protect. As for the resistance, it is monitoring and following up, and it will have the appropriate position and response at the appropriate time.”

Return of Israeli aviation

In addition, Israeli warplanes carried out a new round of intensive flights in the skies of the capital Beirut and the southern suburb, after a hiatus that lasted for days. Israeli aircraft also flew at low altitude in the skies of Sidon and its east.

Preparing for a major withdrawal of the Israeli army

Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon continue, despite the announcement of the Israeli army's readiness to withdraw from southern Lebanon.

The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation (Kan) revealed that a month after concluding the ceasefire agreement with Lebanon, the Israeli army is preparing for a major withdrawal from southern Lebanon.

According to Kan, army camps will be built near the settlements adjacent to the border strip. It also said: “The withdrawal comes in coordination with the United States of America.”

Targeting Hezbollah elements and a weapons depot

Despite talk of the Israeli army withdrawing, Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee posted a video on the social networking site “X” on Wednesday morning, which he said showed “Hezbollah elements transporting combat equipment from a weapons depot in southern Lebanon to a nearby vehicle.”

"In a rapid surveillance and targeting operation, the vehicle and the weapons depot were attacked from the air to remove the threat," he added.

He pointed out that "the Israeli army remains committed to the understandings reached between Israel and Lebanon, and is deployed in the southern Lebanon region, to work to remove any threat against Israel."