Sheikh Qassem: Hezbollah Has Right to Respond to Tabatabaei’s Assassination, Will Determine Timing

By Staff

In a firm and emotional address, Hezbollah Secretary General His Eminence Sheikh Naim Qassem honored the great jihadi commander Sayyed Haitham Al-Tabatabaei and his martyred companions at the Sayyed al-Shuhada [a.s.] complex, as the ceremony coincided with the first anniversary of the ceasefire in the ongoing confrontation with the “Israeli” enemy.

Opening his speech, Sheikh Qassem highlighted the moral and spiritual stature of the martyred commander, saying, “The character of the martyr Sayyed Al-Tabatabaei was distinguished by faith, ethics, jihad, piety, social relations, discipline, precision, and strategic thinking—reflected in the great achievements he accomplished.”

He described him as “a refined and exemplary model,” noting that his commitment to the Resistance began in 1984 “from the very first moments.”

Recalling major milestones in his jihadi journey, Sheikh Qassem stated that Sayyed Al-Tabatabaei “confronted the ‘Israeli’ aggression in 2006 in the town of Khiam,” later directing the Elite Forces project from 2008 to 2012.

He emphasized the martyr’s readiness to answer any call of duty, “He would go wherever he was needed. He went to Yemen and spent nine years there, working to support our brothers and leaving a significant mark.”

Sheikh Qassem noted that Sayyed Al-Tabatabaei was entrusted with leading the “Those with Might” battle, asserting, “He was truly the master of that battle—in planning, organization, programming drone launches, and coordinating firepower.”

“Following that achievement, he became the jihadi assistant and military official, eventually taking up an official leadership role within the Resistance.”

Describing him once more as “an exemplary model, distinguished by faith and jihad,” Sheikh Qassem acknowledged the weight of his loss. Yet he stressed that “martyrdom for Sayyed Al-Tabatabaei is a major gain, for it was his ultimate aspiration.”

He added that the assassination “does not break morale; we are a party with roots grounded in the legacy of Imam Hussein [a] and the Master of the Martyrs of the Nation,” affirming that the enemy’s objective “has not been achieved and will never be achieved.”

In this context, Sheikh Qassem reassured, “We remain steadfast on this path, and he has many brothers who will continue the mission; all matters will proceed normally.”

He also pointed to the security challenges, noting that “there may be collaborators—the arena is open, and recently General Security arrested a spy network, proving that the enemy operates comfortably in this environment.”

He added, “There are those who help provide the ‘Israeli’ enemy with information,” stressing the importance of vigilance.

Sheikh Qassem praised the steadfastness of the Lebanese people, saying, “We have a great people who empower the Resistance with their capabilities.” He recalled a saying of the martyred commander: “Martyr Al-Tabatabaei used to say that the Resistance is ever-generating — a very meaningful expression.”

Paying tribute to other martyrs, he remembered Martyr Mustafa Berro, who once asked him to sign his correspondence with the phrase “From your son, Hassan,” a gesture Sheikh Qassem said “reflected his noble spirit.”

He also honored Martyr Berjaoui as “courageous, always present on the battlefield, with a notable history in Yemen and in the support-and-logistics unit of the General Staff.”

Addressing the latest aggression, Sheikh Qassem asserted, “This is a blatant attack and a defined crime; .”

He concluded by offering “condolences and congratulations to the families of the martyrs,” and expressing gratitude “for all the messages and gestures of sympathy we received.”

Sheikh Qassem welcomed international engagement with Lebanon, saying, “I welcome the Pope’s visit to Lebanon, and we have tasked brothers from the Political Council with delivering a letter from Hezbollah to the Pope, which will be published in the media.”

Turning to the anniversary of the ceasefire, he affirmed, “The ceasefire day is a day of victory for the Resistance, Hezbollah, the people, and Lebanon, because we prevented the enemy from achieving its goals—foremost among them ending the Resistance.”

He explained that the post-ceasefire stage marked a new national responsibility, stating, “A new phase has begun, called ‘the agreement,’ and the state has become responsible for expelling this occupation and deploying the Lebanese Army.”

He stressed the essential conditions for stability: “There must be an ‘Israeli’ withdrawal, the aggression must stop, and prisoners must be released.”

Reflecting on the foundations of this achievement, Sheikh Qassem said, “The agreement was achieved because we stood firm, and because we are strong in our project, our faith, our will, our people, our patriotism, and our attachment to our land.”

Sheikh Qassem highlighted the significance of the “Those with Might” battle, noting, “The battle of ‘Those with Might’ was fought by a modest force, incomparable to the enemy’s power, yet it was noble and possessed willpower, courage, faith in God, and confidence in victory.”

He contrasted this with what he described as “brutal and tyrannical American arrogance,” emphasizing that despite this imbalance, “this battle was able to achieve this accomplishment.”

His Eminence stressed the strategic impact of that confrontation, declaring, “‘Israel’s’ project was broken at the gates of the ‘Those with Might’ battle.”

Reflecting on current internal pressures, Sheikh Qassem asked, “Is there not aggression against the President of the Republic because he acts with wisdom, and against the army and its commander because they protect the land?” He continued, “Is Lebanon’s inability to advance economically not itself an aggression against Lebanon?”

Raising the issue of ongoing violations, he remarked, “Do you not see the drones flying over the presidential palace, the Grand Serail, and during meetings? We are facing aggression against Lebanon.” He urged political clarity, saying, “Stop claiming that the aggression targets only the Resistance.”

Addressing the authorities, Sheikh Qassem said, “I say to the government: You cannot reclaim rights without fulfilling your primary duty—protecting citizens.”

He further outlined the principles of national defense saying, “Deterrence has three forms. If you liberate land, you have deterred the enemy and expelled it—this is the highest form.”

Sheikh Qassem expanded on the concept of deterrence, saying, “The second form of deterrence is protection, by deploying the army and using the state’s available capabilities to prevent the enemy from approaching.” He added, “The third form of deterrence is preventing the enemy from settling on our occupied land; if it occupies an area, it must remain in a state of constant confusion.”

He stressed that deterrence is a national responsibility, stating, “The first entity responsible for deterrence is the state, through its army and its people.” He then asked pointedly, “Tell me, what has the state done so far in any of these three forms of deterrence?”

Recalling earlier milestones, he noted, “In 2000, the Resistance drove ‘Israel’ out of Lebanon—this is deterrence through liberation.” He continued, “From 2000 to 2023, we had another form of deterrence—deterrence through protection—where the ‘Israeli’ enemy did not dare to come near.”

Addressing the present phase, Sheikh Qassem said, “From 2023 until now, we have been confronting ‘Israel’ by preventing it from settling—this is the third form of deterrence, and we are exercising it to this day. The state participates through diplomatic confrontation.” He added that “Our readiness prevents the enemy from settling, and our defensive capability is a form of deterrence.”

He urged the authorities to rely on national strengths, saying, “The government must invest in the capabilities of its people to prevent the enemy from establishing stability.” He stressed national sovereignty, declaring, “No one in Lebanon is authorized to concede Lebanese land or Lebanese dignity.”

Sheikh Qassem explained the mandate of governance, saying, “The mandate given to officials is only for reclaiming land, prisoners, and dignity.”

He pointed out the broad refusal of normalization inside the country, “There are forces inside the country that do not want ‘Israel’ and are ready to confront it, and we must invest in this reality.” He added, “All sects, elites, and the overwhelming majority in the country do not want ‘Israel’.”

He identified external pressure as a key challenge, stating, “There is American tutelage that is part of the aggression and that promotes ‘Israeli’ pressure,” adding, “The servants of ‘Israel’ in Lebanon are few, but despite their small number they create problems and play a role that serves ‘Israel’ and America, not Lebanon.”

Responding to criticism of the Resistance, Sheikh Qassem affirmed, “Weapons are not the problem—they liberated the country for 44 years, played a major role, and produced the various forms of deterrence we discussed,” adding, “Weapons are only a problem for the ‘Israeli’ project.”

He directed a message to domestic opponents, saying, “To the servants of ‘Israel’: Fear God and stand with your own people.” Addressing foreign threats, he stated, “They threaten us with a broader aggression to force us into surrender. All these threats are merely forms of political pressure because their various attempts have failed.”

Sheikh Qassem underlined the steadfastness of the people, asserting, “They must despair, for this is a people that cannot be defeated or made to surrender. We will not be defeated and we will not surrender—humiliation is far from us,” asserting, “The problem lies in the ‘Israeli’ project, and we must confront it.”

His Eminence highlighted the endurance of the past year, saying, “Our steadfastness for an entire year, despite all pressures, is proof of our dignity and strength.” He contrasted visions for Lebanon, stating, “Our standard is independence and freedom; the standard of those who surrender is a life of servitude and humiliation.”

On the path forward, he emphasized, “The solution is for the aggression to stop.” He went on saying, “If the aggression continues, the government must set a plan for confrontation. It must even reconsider deployment in the south and the mechanism committee—and it is capable of issuing threats.”

Sheikh Qassem reaffirmed commitment to sacrifice, saying, “We stand firm and defend, and the blood of the martyrs will not be in vain; then the foreign powers will submit to our will.”

He praised regional steadfastness, noting, “The operation that took place in Beit Jann proves that the Syrian people are in the right position and will not accept surrender to ‘Israel’—and this is a positive sign.”

He concluded this portion of his remarks by warning against appeasement: “Concessions only make the occupation more greedy, and it cannot hurt us without being hurt itself.