Qassem confirmed that the response to the assassination of commander Fouad Shukr in Beirut on July 30th is separate from the aggression against Gaza and a ceasefire.

The deputy head of Hezbollah assessed three paths in the current scenario as a consequence of Israeli intransigence in continuing with its crimes in the region.

According to the leader of Hezbollah, if the aggression against Gaza continues, the Resistance support fronts will maintain their operations regardless of the sacrifices.

Qassem reaffirmed the decision of the Resistance, the Palestinian people, and the support fronts not to allow Israel to achieve its objectives, even if it commits massacres. On the other hand, he stated that a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip would halt the actions of the support fronts in the region without any discussion. A third aspect is the response to the assassination of Fouad Shokr in Beirut, and the head of the Hamas Political Bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran.

As indicated by the leader of the Lebanese Islamic Resistance, the retaliation “has its plan and is completely separate from previous paths,” emphasizing that the manner of its implementation and its calendar “are linked to the decision of the leaders and the evaluation from the battlefield.”

Regarding the recent stay of the US envoy Amos Hochstein in Beirut, Qassem said that it was an “exhibition visit to say that the United States is moving”. He assured that Hochstein “has nothing and there are no specific proposals by the United States.”

Qassem expressed confidence that “the result in the July 2006 aggression, by disrupting all of Israel’s objectives and achieving a great victory, will also be achieved in battle, with all the sacrifices and patience.” He also pointed out that the current fight is “increasingly tougher,” and emphasized that the Resistance’s position is “clear and is the choice of liberation and independence.”

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