Hezbollah chief says US and Israeli election setbacks benefit Lebanon

Hezbollah Secretary‑General Naim Qassem welcomed the recent setbacks for US Republicans in the mid‑term elections and the poor showing of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc in Israel’s October 27 vote, calling the outcomes a “boon” for Lebanon.

Speaking in a video‑link address on Wednesday, Qassem marked the occasion by honouring Hezbollah members killed by Israel and their families. He described the US election results as an “earthquake” and the Israeli poll as a “defeat”, arguing that they signal Lebanon should resist any push by the Trump administration to disarm the group.

Qassem reiterated that Hezbollah will not surrender its weapons, citing the continued Israeli military presence in southern Lebanon. He warned Lebanese authorities against agreements that serve Israeli interests and urged a focus on domestic issues.

The remarks come amid a standoff between Iran‑backed Hezbollah and US‑backed Lebanese President Joseph Aoun over disarmament, and follow months of intensified conflict after US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February, which led to extensive Israeli attacks on south Lebanon.

Qassem also praised Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz for raising global oil prices, claiming it weakens American and Israeli influence in the region.

Source: Al Jazeera. Photo: Anthony Rahayel / Pexels.