September 20th 2025.
On Friday, Hezbollah's Secretary-General Naim Qassem made a plea to Saudi Arabia. He urged the country to restore relations with the Lebanese armed group and join forces to stand against their common enemy, Israel. Qassem's call for unity came amidst escalating strikes by Israel on southern Lebanon. He appealed to Riyadh to start a new chapter with Hezbollah, based on three key principles: dialogue, recognition of Israel as the true enemy, and putting past disagreements aside.
Qassem emphasized that Hezbollah's weapons are solely aimed at Israel, not their own country or any other party. He warned that any pressure on Hezbollah would only serve to benefit Israel. He stated that if the resistance group were to be eliminated, other states would be at risk as well. This warning from Qassem came after the recent strike by Israel on Qatar, which he believes is a turning point in their tactics. He questioned the credibility of the US, stating that their actions in support of Israel show how untrustworthy they are.
The ongoing tensions between Saudi Arabia and Hezbollah have been fueled by the larger rivalry between Riyadh and Tehran, the main backer of Hezbollah. In 2016, the Gulf Cooperation Council, led by Saudi Arabia, designated Hezbollah as a "terrorist" group due to their support for Bashar al-Assad in Syria and the Houthi rebels in Yemen. Qassem described Israel as a colonial entity, backed by the US and Britain, who are committing atrocities with no regard for international law.
He also noted that the US and Israel's attempts at a "soft war" through sanctions and the Abraham Accords have failed, leading them to resort to extreme measures like genocide. Qassem expressed his doubts about accepting any proposals or making concessions from the US or any other country, given their clear bias towards Israel. He also mentioned the US's efforts to disarm Hezbollah through a ceasefire agreement in 2024, stating that the group is open to talks but only from a position of strength.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health in Lebanon reported two deaths and 11 injuries from Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon on Friday. The Israeli military claimed to have killed a Hezbollah commander and a member of their elite force in separate strikes. They also stated that they targeted a vessel used for intelligence-gathering by Hezbollah. These attacks came after Israel had already carried out strikes on southern towns the day before, causing Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to accuse them of violating the ceasefire agreement.
Despite the terms of the ceasefire calling for Hezbollah to disarm and Israel to withdraw from Lebanese territory, Israel continues to launch frequent attacks in the south. They still hold control over five positions in the area, and Qassem's plea for Saudi Arabia to join forces with them against Israel is a clear indication of the ongoing conflict.
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