Hezbollah deputy chief says possible ceasefire tied to Gaza truce

Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem said Tuesday that the Lebanese militia is open to a ceasefire with Israel, but only if a truce is also achieved in Gaza.

"The Al-Aqsa flood is a legitimate right for the Palestinians and everyone with them, and neither Lebanon nor the region can be separated from Palestine," Qassem said in a speech broadcast on television, referring to the October 7 attacks on Israel led by Hamas militants which triggered the current Gaza war.

"We will target the enemy's (army), its presence centres and its barracks. The solution is a ceasefire, and we will not speak from a position of weakness," Qassem said.

He also accused Israel of targeting Lebanese army troops and UNIFIL peacekeepers stationed in southern Lebanon.

"Since the enemy targeted all of Lebanon, we have the right, from a defensive position, to target any point in the enemy’s entity," he added.

Qassem said that as the war continues, "hundreds of thousands, or even more than 2 million, will be in danger" in Israel.

As with previous speeches, Qassem spoke from an unknown location, according to Hezbollah broadcaster al-Manar.

It remained unclear whether the speech had been recorded in advance.