Hezbollah's Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem declared that Israel’s carefully constructed sense of security over the last eight months could be obliterated in a single hour by missile strikes. He reaffirmed Hezbollah’s preparedness to defend Lebanon’s sovereignty and rejected international pressure to disarm. Speaking at a memorial for Iranian martyr General Ezadi, Sheikh Qassem highlighted his legacy of supporting Palestinian resistance. He added, “The U.S. does not want the Lebanese military to acquire weapons that pose a threat to Israel. If Hezbollah disarms, who will protect Lebanon?”