Hezbollah ‘has not yet used full missile capabilities’

The deputy head of Hezbollah’s Political Council has said that the movement has missiles capable of hitting targets further away, but has not used them yet. “We can direct heavy missile strikes at the enemy up to a depth of 140 kilometres,” Mahmoud Qamati pointed out. “Our missile capabilities are strong, and our stockpile can last a long time.” He insisted that Israeli claims about Hezbollah losing a large part of its missile power are “a complete lie.”

Speaking to Al Jazeera, the Hezbollah official noted that all of the vacancies in Hezbollah’s leadership structure have been filled. “The announcement of Sheikh Naim Qassem’s appointment as Secretary-General is not linked to a political development and is solid evidence of the organisation’s strength.”

The veiled threat by the occupation regime’s War Minister Yoav Gallant to assassinate Sheikh Qassem does not intimidate the movement, he said. “Anyone in a leadership position in the party knows that they are a potential martyr.”

Qamati added that it has not received any official project or political initiative. “Our priority is to be in the field now. We rely on [Lebanese Parliament Speaker] Nabih Berri on political matters, and we do not accept any negotiations under fire.”

Since 23 September, the Israeli occupation forces have expanded the scope of the genocide carried out in Gaza since October last year to include most areas of Lebanon, including the capital Beirut, through unprecedented air strikes and a ground invasion. The occupation regime is acting in total disregard of international warnings and UN resolutions.

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