Hezbollah's Nawaf Moussawi: Only force can compel Israel to leave Lebanon

Senior Hezbollah official Nawaf Moussawi has stated that only force can compel Israel to withdraw from Lebanon. In an interview with MEE, Moussawi argued that Lebanese-Israeli negotiations would be futile without a partner from President Joseph Aoun, who lacks leverage over the Israelis. Moussawi, in his role as head of Hezbollah’s border and resources department, emphasized that Hezbollah will continue fighting the occupying troops until they completely depart from Lebanon.

He also mentioned that Hezbollah launched cross-border strikes against Israel following the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, and has been in two subsequent wars since then. Moussawi expressed that the blame should be placed on Israel, the occupying force, and criticized the US-backed Israeli attacks on Palestine and Lebanon, stating that such devastation could lead people to abandon resistance.

The Lebanese authorities have been involved in negotiations with Israel since April to secure a permanent ceasefire, Israeli troop withdrawal, and address the displacement of residents in south Lebanon. However, these talks have seen little success, and Hezbollah remains critical of the framework that has been proposed.