Leader: Hezbollah strong, continues to fight Israel
Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said Lebanon’s Hezbollah resistance movement is strong and continues the fight against Israel, dismissing rumors about the group’s loss of strength after the assassination of its leaders by the Israeli regime.
“Some people in Lebanon and elsewhere think that Hezbollah has weakened and have begun to criticize its actions. They are mistaken and are under the effect of illusions,” Ayatollah Khamenei told members of the Assembly of Experts during a meeting in Tehran on Thursday.
“During these nearly 40 long years, Hezbollah once forced the Zionist regime to retreat from Beirut, once from Saida, once from the city of Tyre, and once from southern Lebanon and entirely from the cities, villages, and highlands of Lebanon, which means its capability has increased over time,” the Leader noted.
“Hezbollah turned from a small group of fighters into a huge organization with such power that it can force the enemy ... to retreat and defeat it,” he maintained.
Ayatollah Khamenei said that Hezbollah’s extraordinary evolution is beholden to Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who was assassinated in an Israeli strike on the outskirts of Beirut in late September.
“Thanks to the bravery, tact, patience, and faith of Sayyed Nasrallah, Hezbollah underwent an extraordinary evolution, so much so that the enemy, which was equipped with all kinds of material and propaganda weapons, could not and, by God’s grace, will not be able to overcome this wonderful phenomenon,” he added.
Ayatollah Khamenei also paid tribute to Hezbollah’s senior official Hashem Safieddine and Hamas leaders Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar, as well as Iranian military commander Abbas Nilforoushan, who were assassinated by Israel in September and October.
The resistance martyrs, the Leader said, bestowed upon Islam dignity and honor in addition to strength and power.
Ayatollah Khamenei also praised Hamas, saying the Palestinian resistance group’s continued fight against Israel indicates the regime has been defeated.
“The Zionist regime intended to eliminate Hamas, which it has been unable to achieve even after massacring so many people, showing their ugly face to the whole world and proving their wickedness to everyone.”
“They think they have martyred Hamas and resistance leaders and that Hamas is finished, but Hamas is still fighting and resisting. This means the failure of the Zionist regime,” the Leader stressed.
Despite launching a devastating war on the Gaza Strip last year with US military support, the Israeli regime has failed to defeat the resistance forces in the Palestinian territory, which has been under siege for years.