Deputy Hassan Nasrallah Affirms Hezbollah Is Ready To Face Israeli Land Invasion

Deputy Leader of Hezbollah Naim Qassem. (Wikimedia Commons/Sebastian Baryli)

JAKARTA - Lebanese militant group deputy leader Hezbollah Naim Qassem said Israel would not succeed in achieving its goals, ensuring the group was ready to face a land invasion of Lebanon.

"We will face any possibility, we are ready if Israel decides to enter by land and the resistance forces are ready for ground fighting," he said.

It was Hezbollah's official's first speech, following an Israeli attack last week that killed Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut, Lebanon.

"Despite losing its commander, attacks on civilians across Lebanon, and great sacrifices, we will not move from our position," he said in a speech from an undisclosed location.

"We will continue to support Gaza and defend Lebanon," he continued.

Qassem said Hezbollah would continue to follow in the footsteps of Nasrallah. He said they would continue their operations, working according to the plan that had been prepared.

He said, although the fighting could last a long time, Hezbollah believed Israel would not achieve its goals.

Qassem praised Nasrallah for his leadership and popularity. He said Hezbollah would soon elect a new secretary general to replace Nasrallah as soon as possible, by using an internal process, stressing that every commander and every official, had a replacement.