Hezbollah Endorses Lebanon's Ceasefire Efforts for the First Time

For the first time since the conflict began, Hezbollah has expressed support for Lebanon's efforts to broker a ceasefire with Israel. On Tuesday, the group's Deputy Secretary General, Naim Qassem, stated that Hezbollah is backing the political initiative led by Lebanon's Parliament Speaker, Nabih Berri.

"We fully support the efforts of Speaker Nabih Berri aimed at achieving a ceasefire," Qassem said. "Once a ceasefire is firmly established through diplomatic channels, all further discussions and decisions will be made collectively."

Berri, who leads the predominantly Shiite Amal party, has been a central figure in negotiations seeking to end the violence. The Amal party is closely allied with Hezbollah, and Berri’s role has become increasingly important as talks progress.

Hezbollah had previously indicated that its military actions against Israel would only cease if a ceasefire agreement involving Hamas in Gaza was reached. However, Israel has pushed for Hezbollah to separate its conflict from the ongoing war with Hamas.

During his speech, which marked the anniversary of Hezbollah’s escalating conflict with Israel, Qassem struck a defiant tone, reaffirming the group's preparedness to continue the fight if necessary.

"If the enemy continues its aggression, the battlefield will be decisive—and that battlefield is ours," he declared.