Smoke and dust engulf a town following Israeli explosions destroying buildings and homes in southern Lebanon near the border as seen from the Upper Galilee in northern Israel on April 27, 2026. (Photo: VCG)
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said on Monday that Hezbollah categorically rejects direct Lebanon-Israel talks, outlining five conditions for ending the ongoing conflict.
"We reject direct negotiations outright," Qassem said in a statement, adding that the talks and their results "do not concern us in any way." He also accused the Lebanese authorities of making humiliating and unnecessary concessions and acting against the interests of the Lebanese people.
He outlined five conditions as the only acceptable path forward: ending Israeli attacks by land, sea and air, Israel's withdrawal from occupied territory, the release of prisoners, the return of displaced residents to their towns and villages, and reconstruction.
Qassem said that Hezbollah would not abandon its weapons and vowed that Israel would not remain on any occupied Lebanese land, adding that the group would not return to the situation that existed before March 2.
On February 28, the United States and Israel launched large-scale military strikes against Iran, prompting retaliatory attacks by Iran on Israeli targets and US military bases in the region. As a key regional ally of Iran, Hezbollah announced the launch of rockets from southern Lebanon toward Israel on March 2, marking the first such attack since a ceasefire was declared in November 2024. In response, Israel carried out airstrikes targeting Beirut, its southern suburbs, and other areas.