Sheikh Qassem: Victory or Martyrdom - There Is No Third Option for the Resistance

By Fatima Haydar

In an in-depth interview aired Tuesday by Al-Mayadeen, Hezbollah Secretary General His Eminence Sheikh Naim Qassem delivered explosive revelations and strategic insights on the Resistance's current posture, it's origin in Operation Al-Aqsa Flood and the path forward following the martyrdom of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.

The interview, filmed on June 6 but broadcast Tuesday, covered sensitive internal decisions, regional calculations and the ideological compass guiding Hezbollah’s role in the wider confrontation with the “Israeli” entity.

Operation Al-Aqsa Flood: The Trigger for Resistance

“The current support battle is a natural outcome of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood,” Sheikh Qassem declared, identifying the October 2023 operation as a decisive moment that activated Hezbollah’s role in the broader conflict. He confirmed that Hezbollah was not notified in advance. “We had no prior knowledge. Sayyed Nasrallah was informed of it only thirty minutes after it began,” he said.

Despite the surprise, Hezbollah moved quickly. “The next day, Sayyed Nasrallah ordered the first response: shelling the occupied Shebaa Farms,” the SG revealed, underscoring the symbolic and strategic nature of that decision. “It was a move based on principle—support, not escalation.”

He stressed that Hamas, not Hezbollah, had engineered the assault. “The brothers in Hamas leadership inside occupied Palestine carried out this profound and game-changing operation. It was entirely their initiative.”

Support Without War: A Calculated Decision

Hezbollah’s response, Sheikh Qassem clarified, was never intended to launch a full-scale war. “We chose to support, not to go to war. Total war requires full preparedness, and we were clear-eyed about our circumstances.” He added, “Every front—ours included—acts based on its own conditions and calculations.”

This restraint, His Eminence explained, was also strategic. “We do not want war in Lebanon. Our support was carefully designed to alleviate pressure on Gaza while avoiding the descent into nationwide conflict.”

Hezbollah’s leadership coordinated closely on these decisions. “All key decisions—including the support campaign—were unanimously approved by our Shura Council,” he said.

Two months into the battle, Hamas signaled satisfaction. “They told us our level of support was sufficient and was achieving its intended purpose,” the Resistance chief noted.

“Our objective was to ease the burden on Gaza and push the ‘Israeli’ enemy toward a political solution,” His Eminence continued. “We believe in the liberation of Jerusalem, but we take Lebanon’s specificity into account.”

No Illusions About Notification or Obligations

Addressing the lack of prior coordination with Hamas, Sheikh Qassem was unambiguous. “We didn’t require prior notification. Our duty is to support Palestine regardless.”

He elaborated on the ideological foundation of the support front. “The idea of the Joint Arena strategy existed two years before Al-Aqsa Flood, but it wasn’t yet implemented in full organizational terms.”

A Deadly Breach: The Pager Device Crisis

The interview also covered internal security breaches that shook Hezbollah in recent months. The SG confirmed that the party suffered a severe infiltration of its logistics chain. “Explosives were purchased in the past year and a half through compromised procurement channels—companies that, as we later discovered, had links to the enemy.”

The Resistance chief described the scale of the crisis. “The explosive devices were highly sophisticated and evaded detection by our standard protocols,” he admitted. “There may have been a shortcoming in our inspection methods.”

A central investigative committee, along with multiple subcommittees, was established to examine the failures. “We had no knowledge that the procurement chain was compromised,” Sheikh Qassem said. “Our monitoring tools failed to detect the threat.”

The blow was not only material but psychological. “The pager explosions were a major blow to Hezbollah,” the Resistance leader admitted.

Sayyed Nasrallah himself led the initial response. “During the final Shura meeting on September 18, Sayyed was extremely angry. He personally assigned investigative committees to look into the pager and radio device explosions.”

Total Surveillance: “Israel’s” Eyes on the Resistance

Sheikh Qassem warned that the “Israeli” surveillance campaign had reached staggering proportions. “They knew everything. The wiretapping was almost total.” He continued, “We had received reports of localized tapping, but the true extent of the breach was far more severe.”

His Eminence dismissed speculation about human espionage. “There’s no evidence of major infiltration. Human espionage was minimal—most of the damage came from electronic surveillance and drone reconnaissance.”

“This was the core of our setback,” the Hezbollah SG added. “Once the investigations are complete, I will address the public. For now, I can say: surveillance was the main point of failure.”

He confirmed Hezbollah had intercepted a shipment of 1,500 explosive-laden pagers en route to Turkey. “We acted quickly and requested Prime Minister Najib Mikati to coordinate with President Erdogan to destroy the cargo.”

Sayyed Nasrallah’s Martyrdom: A Shock to the Movement

Perhaps the most emotional portion of the interview came when His Eminence discussed the loss of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. “His martyrdom shocked us all. I imagined we’d all die before him—he was our guide, our strength, our symbol.”

“My appearance on September 30, three days after his martyrdom, was necessary,” Sheikh Qassem shared. “I coordinated with Sayyed Hashem Safieddine. The people were in deep distress.”

The address was recorded in extraordinary conditions. “We were in a 3x3-meter room without air conditioning. The security environment was extremely harsh.”

Sheikh Qassem said that Sayyed Nasrallah had already approved a ceasefire proposal “in principle” and informed Speaker Berri—just two days before his assassination.

“We are entering a new phase,” His Eminence declared, “but the principles of resistance remain firm.”

Faith, Not Collapse

The SG dismissed suggestions that Hezbollah had been broken. “According to the ‘Israeli’ theory, Hezbollah was supposed to collapse. But our ideology and faith kept us standing.”

“A party, a people, a Resistance like ours cannot be defeated,” he asserted. “Victory or martyrdom—those are our only two options. Surrender is off the table.”

Sheikh Qassem added that even “Israel” had no choice but to strike a deal. “They had to go through the Lebanese state to negotiate with us.”

Internal unity, he said, was essential to Hezbollah’s survival. “We maintained our cohesion, and ‘Israel’ failed to incite internal strife.”

Weapons, Politics and Lebanon’s Future

Touching on domestic dynamics, the SG defended Hezbollah’s place in Lebanese state-building. “Amal and Hezbollah were the first to support the foundation of the new Lebanon. We are partners in building the state.”

He warned against efforts to exclude the Resistance. “Some want Hezbollah and Amal excluded from Lebanon’s future—but we will not accept a weak Lebanon.”

On the debate over arms, Sheikh Qassem was unequivocal. “Hezbollah’s survival doesn’t depend on its weapons. Our arms are about preserving Lebanon’s strength and security.”

His Eminence cautioned, however, that dialogue must serve national interest, not foreign pressure. “There’s pressure from the US and some Arab countries on President Aoun to target the Resistance—but he knows that would lead to strife.”

Iran, Syria and the Regional Map

Regarding Iran, the SG noted, “Iran gave us the maximum possible support. Imam Khamenei followed developments daily and urged officials to assist Gaza and Lebanon.”

On Syria, he said, “The crisis there was a blow to the entire Axis of Resistance. Syria was a vital support route. We never intervened in their internal conflict—we only hoped they’d remain strong against ‘Israel’.”

He added that Hezbollah has no operational ties to the Syrian resistance or its regime. “Our stance toward Syria is purely political. But we’ve received reports suggesting some parties want to use Syria as a platform against Lebanon. We have the right to remain cautious.”

Final Message: We Are Still on the Path

As the interview concluded, the Resistance leader reaffirmed Hezbollah’s readiness and resolve. “We are not observers—we are a field movement. Friend and foe alike should know: we do not accept humiliation.”

Asked about Hezbollah’s current military readiness, the Sheikh said, “I won’t reveal numbers or capabilities. But we are recovering, restoring, and ready.”

“In the Shura, we used to review all potential battle scenarios,” he added. “Sayyed Nasrallah personally led those sessions and chose leadership with care.”

With his decades of experience, Sheikh Qassem said he stepped up after the loss of the Secretary General. “I managed the battle based on 32 years as a member of the Shura and deputy to Sayyed Nasrallah.”

In his final words, the Resistance chief struck a tone of firm defiance. “Martyrdom doesn’t end our journey—it fuels it. We won by preventing ‘Israel’ from advancing. And we remain on the path.”