BEIRUT − Hezbollah is fully prepared to engage in combat against any Israeli ground invasion of Lebanon, declared the group’s deputy leader, Naim Qassem, on Monday. This was his first statement following the death of their long-serving leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in Israeli airstrikes last week.

“We are ready for any eventuality and stand prepared if the Israelis choose to invade by land. Our resistance forces are set for ground combat,” he announced from an undisclosed location.

Qassem’s remarks come amidst ongoing Israeli airstrikes targeting Beirut and other areas in Lebanon, which have spanned two weeks, resulting in the deaths of numerous Hezbollah commanders, along with approximately 1,000 Lebanese casualties and the displacement of one million people, according to Lebanese authorities.

The assassination of Nasrallah, coupled with damaging strikes against the group’s communications and the elimination of other high-ranking commanders, marks a devastating blow to Hezbollah since it was established by Iran in 1982 to combat Israel.

Nasrallah had transformed Hezbollah into Lebanon’s most formidable military and political entity, exerting considerable influence across the Middle East.

Now, Hezbollah faces the task of finding a replacement for a charismatic leader who was seen as a hero by many for opposing Israel, even as the West labeled him a terrorist leader.

“We will appoint a new secretary-general for the party as soon as possible and we will fill all leadership positions on a permanent basis,” Qassem confirmed.

He confirmed that Hezbollah’s fighters have continued to launch rockets targeting Israeli territory up to 93 miles away and are prepared to counter any potential ground invasion from Israel.

“What we are doing is merely the basics. We understand that this conflict may extend for a prolonged period,” he stated. “We will emerge victorious as we did in the liberation of 2006, standing strong against the Israeli adversary,” he referenced a significant previous conflict between the two parties.

Israel has asserted that it will take necessary measures to ensure the safe return of its citizens to communities near the northern border.

While a ground invasion remains a possibility, Israeli forces are actively preparing for such an action.

“The removal of Nasrallah is an essential achievement, yet it is not the end. To secure the safety of Israel’s northern communities, we will utilize every resource at our disposal, including you,” Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant informed troops stationed at the northern border.

Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced on Monday that his government is prepared to fully implement a U.N. resolution that aimed to curb Hezbollah’s armed presence south of the Litani River as part of a ceasefire agreement with Israel.

Mikati indicated that the Lebanese army could be deployed south of the river, which lies approximately 30 km from the southern border.

Additional Militants Affected

Prior to Qassem’s address, the Palestinian militant group Hamas reported that an Israeli airstrike resulted in the death of its leader in Lebanon, Fateh Sherif Abu el-Amin, along with his wife, son, and daughter in the southern city of Tyre.

Another Palestinian group announced that three of its leaders were killed in a strike in central Beirut—the first such incident within the capital. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine confirmed that its leaders were killed in an attack on Beirut’s Kola district.

Witnesses reported that the airstrike targeted the upper floor of an apartment building. The Israeli military did not provide an immediate comment on the incident.

This recent surge of Israeli attacks on militant positions in Lebanon is part of a wider conflict that also involves Palestinian territories in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, as well as Yemen, Iraq, and within Israel itself.

Engagement on Multiple Fronts

The ongoing developments indicate that Israel intends to persist with its military operations despite the assassination of Nasrallah, who was regarded as Iran’s key ally in the “Axis of Resistance” opposing Israeli and U.S. interests in the region.

Nasser Kanaani, spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, stated that Tehran would not allow any of Israel’s “criminal acts” to go unanswered, alluding to the killing of Nasrallah and Iranian Guard deputy commander Brigadier General Abbas Nilforoushan, who was also killed in Friday’s strikes.

Russia commented that the death of Nasrallah has raised significant concerns The recent bombings in Lebanon have reportedly led to considerable loss of life and pose a significant risk of creating a humanitarian crisis similar to the ongoing situation in Gaza, where a large number of casualties have occurred due to the conflict between Israel and Hamas, which is allied with Hezbollah, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.

On Monday, Lebanon’s health ministry announced that the death toll from an Israeli airstrike on the southern Lebanese town of Ain Deleb has reached 45. Additionally, an Israeli attack in the northeastern town of Hermel resulted in 12 fatalities and left 20 others injured. Moreover, six medical personnel lost their lives during an Israeli strike in the town of Sohmor in Bekaa.