Hezbollah will oppose the recently signed Lebanon-Israel framework agreement and work to defeat it politically and practically, considering the deal unacceptable and unenforceable, Mahmoud Qomati, deputy head of Hezbollah's Political Council, said on Sunday.
In an interview with Lebanese broadcaster Al-Jadeed TV, Qomati said that the group had opposed the U.S.-brokered agreement from the outset, rejecting the negotiations that led to it and describing the process as a mistaken approach.
He said Hezbollah does not intend to mobilize supporters in the streets or take escalatory measures, arguing that the agreement will fail on its own because it is not viable and cannot be imposed on the Lebanese people.
Qomati described the agreement as "humiliating" and "surrenderist," saying it was shaped by external dictates. He said there are two approaches in Lebanon: one pursued by the authorities through agreements and negotiations, and another pursued by the resistance through what he described as resistance on the ground against Israel.
He rejected linking Israel's withdrawal from Lebanese territory to any domestic Lebanese issue, saying Lebanon should not be forced to choose between giving up its weapons or its land. He called for an unconditional Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory.
Qomati said Hezbollah supports the deployment of the Lebanese army to every point along the Lebanese border following a full Israeli withdrawal, but stressed that such a deployment or the start of withdrawal measures should not be interpreted as acceptance of the agreement. He said the group's objection is to the agreement itself, its terms, and the circumstances surrounding it.
He added that Hezbollah remains ready to discuss a national defense strategy with the Lebanese state, noting that both the presidential inaugural address and the government's ministerial statement refer to a national security and defense strategy.
Qomati reiterated Hezbollah's rejection of direct negotiations with Israel and opposed what he described as Israeli attempts to impose conditions on Lebanon. He said the group's position would remain unchanged regardless of any external developments.
The Israeli army detonated a tunnel in the southern Lebanese town of Majdal Zoun on Sunday, with the blast heard across wide areas, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported.
According to a joint statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, the underground tunnel destroyed on Sunday night measured more than 200 meters long and over 25 meters deep, and contained hundreds of weapons and several launch shafts allegedly intended to strike Israeli territory.
The statement noted that Israel had informed the United States in advance of the destruction.
"Israeli military soldiers will remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon and will continue to destroy terrorist infrastructure, remove threats to northern Israeli communities and maintain the security of Israeli citizens," it said.
Prior to the explosion, the Israeli military had informed local authorities in northern Israel that a powerful explosion was expected, which could trigger earthquake warning systems.
The latest incidents occurred amid continued Israeli military activity in southern Lebanon despite the framework agreement reached on Friday between the United States, Israel, and Lebanon.
The agreement, signed at the end of the latest round of ambassador-level talks in Washington, D.C., called again for the implementation of a fragile ceasefire between the two sides.
The agreement includes a partial Israeli withdrawal from two areas in southern Lebanon and is intended to pave the way toward a lasting peace between the two countries.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese Health Ministry said the cumulative casualties from Israeli attacks for the period from March 2 to June 28 had reached 4,247 killed and 12,195 injured.
Hezbollah official says Lebanon-Israel framework pact will fail on its own
