Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem: "This is an existential battle" — vows long confrontation with Israel

Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem delivered his second televised address of the war on Friday March 13 (Day 14), as Israeli strikes expanded across Lebanon and the displacement crisis deepened beyond 800,000 people. Qassem declared: "This is an existential battle, not a limited or simple battle." He said Hezbollah had "prepared ourselves" for a "long confrontation" with Israel and added: "the enemy's threats do not frighten us." The speech is the second televised leadership address Qassem has made since the war resumed on March 2. It comes as Hezbollah faces its most severe pressure since the 2006 war: IDF has struck Lebanese University academics, the government quarter in central Beirut, the Zrarieh Bridge over the Litani River, and issued mass evacuation orders across Beirut. Lebanon's health ministry confirmed 773 killed including 103 children as of March 13. Qassem's framing of the war as existential — not tactical or political — signals Hezbollah leadership has no intention of negotiating withdrawal and expects Israeli operations to threaten the organisation's survival. It directly contradicts UN Secretary-General Guterres's call earlier Friday that "this is no longer the time of armed groups." Hezbollah has continued rocket and drone attacks on northern Israel throughout Day 14, including volleys on Kiryat Shmona and surrounding towns.