BEIRUT, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said on Friday that the group would confront Israel with weapons if attacked, stressing that threats of death would not deter its members.
"The project to eliminate Hezbollah and entrench the occupation has failed, and the Israelis will withdraw from every last inch of our land," Qassem said in a televised speech on al-Manar local TV channel.
He added that Lebanon was facing "the most dangerous stage" and an "American-Israeli project" targeting the future of the country, accusing Israel of seeking to turn Lebanon's political authority against the resistance movement and of obstructing reconstruction efforts in areas affected by the conflict.
Qassem also said Hezbollah's weapons are directed solely against Israel and called on Israel to respect Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
His remarks came as an Israeli airstrike targeted the Jabal al-Rafee area near the southern Lebanese town of Sajd on Friday, shortly after a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel that took effect at 4:00 p.m. local time, according to Lebanon's National News Agency.
Earlier in the day, Ibrahim al-Moussawi, a member of Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc "Loyalty to the Resistance," said that the group would continue to abide by the ceasefire agreement provided that Israel also respects its terms.
Meanwhile, Lebanon's Public Health Emergency Operations Center said the cumulative toll from Israeli attacks since March 2 had risen to 3,980 people killed and 12,001 injured. Enditem
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