Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem accuses Israel of pursuing an “expansionist agenda” under the banner of a so-called “Greater Israel,” warning that Lebanon is the next target of occupation.

In a televised speech on Friday, Qassem said Israel has violated last year’s ceasefire agreement by carrying out “constant” attacks across Lebanon. He stressed that the aggression is not about Hezbollah’s weapons but about a broader plan to gradually occupy Lebanon and extend Israel’s borders. 

“This aggression aims to establish a ‘Greater Israel’ through Lebanon,” he declared, urging Lebanese unity against a colonial project.

Qassem rejected U.S. involvement in Lebanon’s defense strategy, saying Washington has “no business interfering” in internal affairs. He warned that aligning with Israel means “sinking the ship,” while unity ensures resilience. “Hezbollah will defend itself, its people, and its country, and will not surrender,” he vowed, framing resistance as Lebanon’s only safeguard against Israel’s expansionist ambitions.

The concept of “Greater Israel” has deep roots in Zionist ideology, with maximalist visions stretching from the Nile to the Euphrates. In modern politics, it often refers to Israel’s expansion into Palestinian territories, the Golan Heights, and potentially parts of Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan.