Above photo: WANA via Reuters.
‘Leave Lebanon now or flee in defeat.’
Hezbollah inflicted heavy losses on occupation forces in the days leading up to the new ceasefire, killing at least five soldiers in two days.
The chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, Esmail Qaani, issued a warning to Israel on 25 June, demanding that it withdraw its occupation forces from “all of Lebanon.”
“Let the Zionists know: those who have stood and fought against you Yazidis with the spirit of Ashura and the faith of Imam Hussein carry within them the same eternal belief that ‘Every day is Ashura and every land is Karbala,’” Qaani said on Thursday.
The comments came on the 10th of Muharram, known as Ashura, in which Shias mourn the killing of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Imam Hussein, at the battle of Karbala in 680 AD.
“You must leave all of Lebanon, for this land is a field of steadfastness and resistance, not a playground for occupiers,” Qaani said.
He added that if “you do not withdraw of your own accord, tomorrow you will be forced to flee in humiliation and defeat.”
“Do not forget the year 2000 and the historic testament of the martyred [former Hezbollah secretary-general] Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in Bint Jbeil. That promise is still alive, and there is no doubt that the same scene will be repeated once again,” Qaani concluded.
Israeli troops withdrew from Lebanon in 2000 after being expelled by the resistance following an 18-year occupation.
Late Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah declared from the Bint Jbeil stadium after the liberation of south Lebanon that Israel is “weaker than a spider’s web.”
Weaker than a spider web – Hassan Nasrallah#Hezbollah pic.twitter.com/6PcJxgCSme
— Southern Africa Eye (@eye_southern) September 15, 2022
Israeli forces destroyed Bint Jbeil and that stadium with airstrikes at the height of the brutal 2026 campaign against Lebanon, but ultimately failed to capture the city.
The current situation in the almost completely destroyed by Israel city of Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon, where about 30,000 people still lived at the beginning of the year pic.twitter.com/iXyGWAOfYJ
— S p r i n t e r (@SprinterPress) April 19, 2026
Qaani’s warning coincides with continued Israeli violations of the newly declared ceasefire in Lebanon.
An Israeli drone targeted a vehicle on the road between the towns of Zawtar and Mayfadoun on Thursday afternoon.
Three people were killed, and several others were injured in the attack.
Israeli troops also set fire to homes in Ain Arab, a day after killing two people – including a municipal worker – with artillery shelling in Nabatieh al-Fawqa.
Hezbollah released a statement on 25 June stressing its continued adherence to the truce despite Israeli violations, while adding that Tel Aviv’s actions were being monitored and documented.
“For the second time in less than 48 hours, the Israeli occupation army deliberately targeted Lebanese civilians who were inspecting their homes in Dawhat Kfar Rumman, claiming they posed a threat to its occupying forces,” the resistance group said.
“The treacherous attack … launched by an enemy drone, resulted in the martyrdom of two civilians. [Hezbollah] reiterates that this act constitutes a blatant violation of the ceasefire, which the resistance has adhered to until now, and affirms that it is monitoring and documenting these violations.”
Over the weekend, Israel launched a brutal escalation against south Lebanon, which killed at least 100 people.
Major clashes between Israeli occupation forces and Hezbollah resistance fighters also raged throughout the weekend before a cessation of hostilities was imposed on Tel Aviv by Tehran’s pressure on Washington.
Hezbollah inflicted serious losses on occupation forces during the latest clashes, killing one soldier on Saturday following an operation a day earlier that burned four soldiers alive in their tank, including a battalion commander.
Thirteen other Israeli soldiers were wounded by Hezbollah resistance fighters on 20 June.
The Lebanese resistance’s operations have killed dozens of Israeli soldiers since the start of the latest invasion in March.
The current situation in the almost completely destroyed by Israel city of Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon, where about 30,000 people still lived at the beginning of the year pic.twitter.com/iXyGWAOfYJ
— S p r i n t e r (@SprinterPress) April 19, 2026
Tehran has prioritized Lebanon in its talks with Washington since the signing of the US–Iran Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) this month.
Tel Aviv has slammed the MoU and the US acceptance of Tehran’s demand to include Lebanon. Israel has vowed to continue occupying the south and is demanding “freedom of action” for its forces.
In early June, Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on Israel in response to a strike on the Lebanese capital.
Tehran has warned Israel against continuing attacks in south Lebanon.
A recent report by Iran’s Tasnim News Agency, citing an informed source, said talks between Tehran and Washington will be “halted” if Israel continues to refuse withdrawal from Lebanon.
