BEIRUT, November 6. /TASS/. The Shiite movement Hezbollah has everything necessary to defeat Israel and will fight until it stops military operations, Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem said in a televised address to the Lebanese on the 40th day since the death of the organization's former leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah.
"Israel has failed to achieve any of its aims in the ground operation to this day. It cannot win this war," said the Shiite politician, whose speech was broadcast by the Al Manar TV channel. "The resistance forces have tens of thousands of fighters in southern Lebanon. There is not a single target inside Israel that our drones and missiles are unable to hit."
Sheikh Qassem said Hezbollah units were prepared to continue the war of attrition and will force Israel to cease fire.
"We are not relying on diplomatic efforts or the outcome of the US presidential election," he emphasized. "The resistance counts only on its own strength and the victorious outcome of the battle. It has no other choice."
Sheikh Qassem pointed out that only the complete cessation of hostilities could be a condition for entering into negotiations with Israel.
"Indirect negotiations will only begin when the Israeli enemy decides to stop its aggression," the politician pointed out. "They will be led by the speaker of the republic's parliament, Nabih Berri, in order to prevent any infringement of Lebanon's sovereignty."
On September 23, Israel launched a military operation codenamed Northern Arrows against Hezbollah forces in Lebanon, to carry out massive strikes on the organization's military facilities. The declared aim is to create safe conditions in the northern border areas of the Jewish state so that tens of thousands of residents can return there. As a result of one of the Israeli strikes, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrullah was killed in Beirut on September 27. On October 1, the Israeli army announced a ground operation in border areas in southern Lebanon.