International
Hezbulá will continue with “the same war plan” against Israel, says its new leader
The new leader of Hizbulah, Naim Qasem, said on Wednesday in his first speech as head of the formation that the Lebanese Shiite group will continue with “the same war plan” against Israel drawn up by its predecessor, Hassan Nasrala, killed just over a month ago in a massive bombing of the Israeli Army.
“The work schedule is the same as with Hasán Nasrala. We continue with the same war plan,” Qasem said in a televised speech in which he appeared next to the flags of Lebanon, of Hizbulah and a framed photo of his predecessor, who always promised that the group would cease its attacks against Israel if a truce was reached in Gaza.
In a serene tone, the septuagenary clergyman said that the Strip, Lebanon and other parts of the Middle East are facing “an Israeli, American and European war with all its power,” while denouncing that a “genocide” is being committed in the devastated Palestinian enclave and, now, in Lebanese territory.
“We always said that we do not want war, but we are prepared if it has been imposed on us and we will do it firmly and we will succeed, God willing,” insisted Qasem, who said that Hezbulla’s only objective “is to protect Lebanon” and “support Palestine.”
Israel’s “brutality” in Gaza and Lebanon
He also acknowledged that the group “has paid the price for the convictions of liberation,” in reference to the dozens of deaths of high-ranking officials in Hezbulá – including that of Nasrala – since the beginning of the clashes with Israel on October 8, 2023, one day after the outbreak of war in the Gaza Strip.
However, he insisted on the group’s “need” to respond to Israel’s “brutality” in Gaza and Lebanon.
“More than 43,000 martyrs do not move the world? 100,000 wounded don’t shake the world? Not even the murder of children? This crime must be addressed,” Qasem justified in reference to the deaths in the Palestinian enclave since the beginning of the war more than a year ago.
On the other hand, he acknowledged that Iran “supports” Hezbollah but insisted that the Islamic Republic “does not want anything” in return, only “the liberation of the Lebanese land.”
“We welcome any Arab, Islamic or world country if it wants to support us. We don’t say no to anyone who supports us in the world, be it Western, Arab or whoever. We will not say no,” insisted the clergyman, who was appointed on Tuesday as the new general secretary of the organization.
Naim Qasem said that the Shiite group has the ability to continue facing Israel “for months,” although he reiterated that the armed formation is willing to agree to a ceasefire “with conditions.”
“We can continue for months, I won’t say more,” said the septuagenary clergyman in his first speech after being appointed yesterday as the new secretary general of Hizbulah to succeed Hassan Nasrala, murdered a month ago by Israel in a massive bombing against the southern suburbs of Beirut known as the Dahye.
During his speek, he asked for “patience” from the combatants and the Lebanese, while demanding to leave Lebanon the soldiers of Israel, which began an invasion of the southern Mediterranean country in early October: “Get out of our land to reduce your losses, if you stay you will see defeat,” he said.
“Will the war be prolonged? It seems that the US elections will be a turning point,” Qasem asked himself, who indicated that “there may be someone who inhibits (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu” to stop hostilities, he said.
“Indirect” negotiations
On the other hand, Qasem assured that Hezbulah is willing to hold “indirect” negotiations with Israel to reach a truce that ends more than a year of war, which has caused the death of more than 2,700 people and the displacement of more than 1.2 million others in Lebanon alone, in addition to the annihilation of much of the leadership of the Shiite armed formation.
“If the enemy decides (to agree) on a ceasefire, we will say yes, but with conditions. The way will be to hold indirect negotiations for this purpose,” said the cleric, who in early October – when he was the number two of Hezbullah – gave his support to some truce talks mediated by the president of the Lebanese Parliament, Nabih Berri.
In this sense, he recalled that Berri, who also leads the Shiite group Amal, an ally of Hezbulá, is “the pillar of the negotiations,” although he regretted that “there is still no clear project that is consensual” to put an end to hostilities.
Berri, who has been president of Parliament for three decades, is a crucial figure who serves as the group’s communication channel with the rest of the Lebanese political spectrum.
“We always said that we do not want war, but we are prepared if it has been imposed on us and we will do it firmly and we will succeed, God willing,” insisted Qasem, who said that Hezbulla’s only objective “is to protect Lebanon” and “support Palestine.”
Israel says the mandate of the new leader will be “temporary”
Shortly after the appointment, Israel’s Minister of Defense, Yoav Gallant, targeted the septuagenary cleric and assured in a brief message on his official X account that his mandate will be “temporary” and “not for long.”
After a little more than a month of the assassination of Nasrala, the group has decided to choose the one who was the number two of the formation and who has been in charge of giving the three television speeches offered after the death of the previous head of Hezbullah, who was in charge for three decades.
This decision has been made after last week Hizbula confirmed the death of Hashem Safi al Din, head of the Executive Council of the formation and considered one of the main candidates to head the group.
He has been considered one of the main spokesmen of the Shiite group and the highest level figure who has even given interviews to foreign media.
International
Mexican government prioritizes 191 communities after deadly floods
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed on Wednesday that the death toll from recent rains and floods across several central states has risen to 66, while the federal government has activated air bridges and prioritized assistance in 191 isolated communities.
“Unfortunately, 66 people have died, and 75 remain missing,” the president said during her morning press conference. She added that the official death toll will be updated later in a new report.
As of Tuesday, authorities had reported 64 fatalities. Sheinbaum also announced the creation of a public information center to centralize official data on the deceased, missing persons, damaged homes, and cut-off communities.
According to the president, the number of missing persons has decreased thanks to coordination with state authorities.
“Through calls to phone line 079, 103 people who had been reported missing have now been located,” she explained.
Priority Municipalities
The president noted that the federal government has classified 191 communities as ‘priority’, a designation based mainly on the percentage of homes affected.
International
New road and bridge explosions raise alarm amid indigenous protests in Ecuador
Ecuadorian authorities are investigating two explosions that occurred early Wednesday, one on a road in the southern part of the country and another under a bridge in Guayas province. These incidents follow the car bomb explosion in the coastal city of Guayaquil, also in Guayas, which occurred the day before and left one person dead and 30 injured.
Press reports indicate that one person was injured and several vehicles were damaged in the explosion on the Cuenca-Girón-Pasaje road in the south.
“Besides yesterday’s explosion in Guayaquil, we have received reports of explosives placed on bridges along the Guayaquil-Machala and Machala-Cuenca routes to disrupt traffic,” said Roberto Luque, Minister of Infrastructure and Transport (MIT).
On his X social media account, Luque reported that authorities have been deployed to the sites to assess the damage and determine the current condition of the structures.
“What they haven’t achieved with their call for a strike, some are trying to achieve through terrorism,” he stated, referring to the 24 days of protests organized by the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities (Conaie) against rising diesel prices and other demands.
The protests, called at a national level, have Imbabura province as their epicenter. Roadblocks have also been reported in the northern part of Pichincha province, whose capital is Quito, while activities in the rest of the country continue normally.
International
Armed forces target illegal mines in Northern Ecuador with bombing raids
Ecuador’s Armed Forces carried out an operation on Monday — including airstrikes — against illegal mining in the town of Buenos Aires, in the country’s north, Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo reported.
The mountainous, gold-rich area has been a hotspot for illegal mining since 2017, located in the Andean province of Imbabura.
In 2019, former president Lenín Moreno deployed around 2,400 soldiers to the region in an attempt to curb the illegal activity. “The operation began with mortar fire, followed by gunfire and bombing runs by Supertucano aircraft,” Loffredo said in a video released by the Defense Ministry.
He added that the operation would continue on Tuesday with patrols across the area to locate possible members of “irregular armed groups that may have crossed from the Colombian border.”
The Armed Forces stated on X that the intervention focused on the “complete elimination of multiple illegal mining tunnels” in the areas known as Mina Nueva and Mina Vieja.
The operation coincided with the deployment of a military and police convoy into Imbabura, which has been the epicenter of protests against President Daniel Noboa since September 22, following his decision to scrap the diesel subsidy.
Mexican government prioritizes 191 communities after deadly floods
New road and bridge explosions raise alarm amid indigenous protests in Ecuador
Armed forces target illegal mines in Northern Ecuador with bombing raids
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