Naim Qassem, the deputy leader of Hezbollah, said on Monday that his movement is worried about confronting a perceived threat from the United States aimed at Iran, with particular alarm over any threat directed at Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Qassem made the remarks in a televised address. He said the group was watching developments closely and felt targeted by potential aggression. "We are concerned with what is happening and targeted by potential aggression. We are determined to defend ourselves. We will choose in due course how to act, whether to intervene or not... but we are not neutral," he said.
The comments come amid rising tensions between Tehran and Washington after a severe crackdown on protests inside Iran. The article states that thousands were killed in the past few weeks during that crackdown, and that a U.S. response was suggested by President Donald Trump. Tehran has said that any attack on Khamenei would trigger a "holy war."
Qassem said mediators had conveyed to Hezbollah that the United States and Israel were contemplating strikes on the movement should there be an attack on Iran. He warned that a war on Iran this time could ignite the entire region.
The piece notes that Hezbollah emerged from cross-border fighting with Israel in 2024 in a weakened condition, after clashes the movement said were in support of Palestinians in Gaza. A ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon was agreed in 2024 with U.S. brokering, but both sides have since accused one another of violations.
Qassem's remarks underline the risk of further escalation in a region already marked by recent conflict and diplomatic fragility. He framed Hezbollah as prepared to defend itself while withholding a definitive statement on whether it would immediately intervene in a potential confrontation between Iran and the United States.
Summary
Hezbollah's deputy leader expressed concern over U.S. threats to Iran and emphasized the group's readiness to defend itself, noting mediators warned that the U.S. and Israel might target Hezbollah if Iran were attacked. He cautioned that a war on Iran could set the region alight.