Hezbollah chief says tens of thousands of “trained” fighters ready to fight Israel

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The Hezbollah chief said on Wednesday his group had tens of thousands of combat-ready fighters, adding that attacks were not banned anywhere in Israel.

“We have tens of thousands of trained resistance fighters” ready to fight, Naim Qassem said in a speech marking 40 days of his predecessor’s death.

He also said the group’s attacks are not banned anywhere in Israel.

He said the results of the US presidential election would have no impact on a possible ceasefire agreement.

“We do not base our expectations of an end to aggression on political developments…Whether (Kamala) Harris wins or (Donald) Trump wins, that means nothing to us,” he said in a pre-recorded speech before Trump’s victory was announced.

“What will stop this war is the battlefield,” he said, pointing to the fighting in southern Lebanon and Hezbollah attacks on Israel.

It was Qassem’s second speech since he was named Hezbollah’s secretary general last week.

He replaced the group’s decades-long leader, Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in a massive Israeli attack on the group’s bastion in southern Beirut.

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