Quds Force commander warns Israel to withdraw from Lebanon or face defeat

The head of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force has warned Israel that its occupation and aggression in Lebanon will ultimately end in defeat, saying Israeli forces will eventually be forced into a humiliating retreat if they fail to withdraw voluntarily.

Brigadier General Esmail Qaani issued the warning in a message on Thursday marking Ashura, which commemorates the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS), the third Shia Imam, on the 10th day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar.

Invoking the enduring themes of sacrifice, resistance and steadfastness embodied in Imam Hussein (AS)'s stand against tyranny, the Quds Force commander drew parallels between the historic events of Karbala and the struggles of contemporary resistance movements confronting Israeli occupation and military actions in the region.

“The Zionists should know: those who have stood and fought against you, Yazidis - Imam Hussein’s enemies - have done so with the spirit of Ashura and faith in Hussein,” the Quds Force commander stressed, referring to fighters of the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah.

“If you do not withdraw of your own accord today, tomorrow you will be forced to flee in humiliation and defeat,” General Qaani warned the Zionist occupiers of Lebanon.

The Iran-US Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that was signed on June 18 ended the US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran and mandated an “immediate and permanent” halt to military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon.

However, the path to implementation has been rocky from the start. Despite the ceasefire commitment, Israeli forces have continued strikes in southern Lebanon, with deadly attacks on Beirut's southern suburbs and border villages killing dozens of civilians.

Lebanese officials have reported more than 4,100 killings since March.

“You must leave all of Lebanon, because this land is a field of steadfastness and resistance, not a playground for occupiers,” General Qaani warned the Israeli regime.

Hezbollah says Israeli project 'broken,' urges full withdrawal from Lebanon

Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem has declared that the resistance has reached a stage of "breaking the Israeli project."

The Quds Force commander referred to a landmark moment in the history of the Lebanese resistance.

“Do not forget the year 2000 and the historic testament of Martyr 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,” General Qaani stressed.

The reference points to Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in May 2000 after an 18-year occupation, an event widely celebrated by Hezbollah as a major victory for the resistance.

Bint Jbeil, a town near Lebanon’s border with occupied Palestine, became a powerful symbol of that achievement, with Sayyed Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s late secretary-general, repeatedly citing the withdrawal as evidence that sustained resistance could compel Israeli forces to retreat.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.ir