Hezbollah can't be disarmed
forcibly, internally --- or
externally: Bassil
May 20th, 8:49pm
Al Mayadeen English
In an exclusive interview for Al Mayadeen, the leader of
the Free Patriotic Movement said that “in Lebanon, it is
not possible to eliminate any component."
We have not changed our political positioning -- the leader
of the Free Patriotic Movement, Gebran Bassil, stated on
Wednesday.... noting that the dispute with Hezbollah
occurred “after it adopted choices that do not
serve the Lebanese interest.”
In an exclusive interview for Al Mayadeen, Bassil said - that
“in Lebanon, it is not possible to eliminate any component”
....adding that understandings between the Lebanese
components “must not be abolished.”
He considered that “political divergence occurs on certain
points - but it should not turn into a state of enmity.” He
added - that Hezbollah is “a Lebanese component” and
that “its choices must be Lebanese and its Lebanese
axis must take precedence over any other axis.”
Bassil stated that “the third pillar of understanding, which is
the defensive strategy, collapsed when Hezbollah initiated
an attack and was no longer in a defensive state.”
In his remarks to Al Mayadeen, he stressed that the
Free Patriotic Movement has the right to express
its disagreement with Hezbollah, “but, this
should not take us to a point where we
end up alongside Israel --- against a
Lebanese component.”
'Hezbollah resisting an occupier of Lebanon'
The prominent Lebanese figure stressed that “resistance
cannot exist outside the framework of the state.. as it
loses its legitimacy in such a case,” adding that this
is “something we do not accept for Hezbollah,
given that it is resisting an occupier
of Lebanon.”
He said the resistance “must operate within a fully national
environment,” stressing that the Free Patriotic Movement
“does not want Hezbollah to be isolated or weakened,”
adding, “We are keen on restoring Hezbollah’s
complete national allure.”
He pointed out that “the solution lies in a Lebanese–Lebanese
agreement and a realistic, logical solution,” considering
that Lebanon “is capable of playing an important role
in the region.”
Bassil also affirmed that “Lebanon can serve as a regional
hub and a genuine economic bridge,” stressing that “we
must prevent war rather than draw it in and work to
keep Lebanon neutral in the conflicts of
regional axes.”
'No rupture with Hezbollah'
Bassil indicated that the relationship with Hezbollah “is neither
a rupture nor a fully settled relationship ..as it was in the past,”
noting however, that there may now be greater understanding
or at least more willingness to hear our perspective."
He said Hezbollah “must be part of the necessary solution
to pull Lebanon out of the cycle of wars,” adding that
“Lebanon must not return to being a war zone.”
The FPM chief said that “Hezbollah must be part of the defense
strategy” and that its weapons “are an integral part of it,”
adding that any transfer or relinquishment of arms
“must only take place when the necessary
conditions for protecting Lebanon
are in place.”
He stressed that “Israel’s ambitions require no proof,” adding,
“We are aware of this danger to Lebanon, but what matters
is how to confront it.”
He also affirmed that forcibly disarming Hezbollah “cannot
happen, neither from within nor from outside,” warning
that such a step would amount to a recipe “either for
the complete destruction of Lebanon --- from the
outside, or for internal war --- if attempted
from within.”
Bassil noted that Lebanon possesses elements of strength,
including its regional role and Hezbollah’s arsenal, which
he said, “must not be relinquished cheaply.”
'Lebanon’s strength lies in internal unity'
The top Lebanese politician stressed that “the strength of
the Lebanese negotiator lies in internal unity,” while its
weakness lies in “fragmentation and division.”
He added that, in the current reality, "I see neither the
capability nor the willingness on the part of the
United States ......to restrain Israel from
its aggression."
Bassil confirmed that the Free Patriotic Movement rejects,
“as Christians", extremist statements directed against
the popular base of the resistance, stressing that it
does not accept calls for division or separation,
especially during wartime.
He called on political leaders to “adhere to a unifying
discourse and avoid reaching the point of division.”
'Lebanon must not be hostile to Iran'
Elsewhere in his remarks, the former Lebanese minister
and current MP said that Iran is “a major country,”
considering that Lebanon “should not be in a
state of hostility with it.”
He added that Lebanon “must define its role within what
is happening under a national security strategy,”
stressing that “the time has come for that.”
Bassil spoke of "serious concerns that Israel may resort to
internal security operations and that its operatives could
have already infiltrated our country."
Regarding relations with Washington, he affirmed that Lebanon
“needs friendly states,” considering the United States “a
powerful state with which we must have relations.”
He further stressed that "the Lebanese state must not go as far
as coordinating with foreign powers against its own people."
In this context, he called on the Lebanese state - to “develop a
domestic understanding document that would place pressure
on internal actors,” referring to the need ---- for a unified
Lebanese approach to address internal disputes.
Source: Al Mayadeen
__________________________________________
Hezbollah fighters vow no rest
until Israeli occupiers --- are
expelled from Lebanon
May 20th, 6:15pm
(PressTV)
The fighters of Lebanon’s resistance movement Hezbollah
have pledged that they will neither rest nor settle --- until
every Israeli occupier is driven from the Lebanese soil.
In a letter addressed to Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh
Naim Qassem, the resistance fighters thanked him for his
fatherly guidance and reiterated their commitment to
the path of jihad, sacrifice, and victory.
“We have received your dear message.. carrying the imprint
of a father on his sons, a commander on his soldiers, and
a sheikh ..on his disciples,” the letter read.
The fighters described their daily operations against Israel;
destroying tanks, burning military vehicles, targeting
Israeli soldiers - and teaching the enemy lessons
that will be “engraved in its artificial memory.”
“Your courageous leadership --- has opened the way for a series
of operations that have left the enemy exhausted, fearful of
settling on southern soil, constantly looking to the sky
awaiting our missiles and drones..... and used to
lowering its head in terror of our explosives
and ambushes.”
‘We will not rest until occupation is defeated’
The fighters vowed to continue the fight
with even greater force.
“We will keep the enemy in this state ------ and we have more in
store. We will not rest, we will not relent, and our eyes will
not close until the occupation leaves our land, defeated
and humiliated.”
They pledged to remain steadfast through
dark nights and fierce battles.
“Between us and the enemy are days that they will not endure,
but we will, because we are the people of this land. Nights
that are dark in the occupier’s eyes, we have illuminated
with the remembrance of God.”
Hezbollah drones paralyze 80%
of Israeli offensives in south
Lebanon: Report
Israeli media says Hezbollah’s expanding drone operations
- are severely restricting the regime’s attacks in southern
Lebanon and forcing troops to avoid daytime offensives.
The fighters dedicated their message to “every grain of soil,
every martyr, and every fighter along the entire front line.”
“We renew our oath of allegiance and pledge to continue
on this path, preserving honour, freedom, dignity and
independence. The life of nations - is earned only
through red sacrifices. The honour of the south
refuses to be liberated - except by the hands
of the resistance.”
Hezbollah has been a key component of the Axis of Resistance,
fighting alongside Iran and Palestinian factions against the
US-Israeli war of aggression that began on February 28.
The Israeli regime launched a brutal assault on Lebanon - in
parallel with its attacks on Iran, but Hezbollah’s rocket and
drone strikes -- have forced tens of thousands of Israeli
settlers .....to flee the northern occupied territories.
The resistance movement has successfully tied down large
Israeli ground forces and inflicted heavy casualties on the
enemy, while the US-Israeli alliance has failed to achieve
its stated military objectives.
A fragile Pakistan brokered ceasefire has been in place since
early April, but tensions remain high, with Iran and Hezbollah
warning ---- they are ready - for any new round of hostilities.
_________________________________________________________
Iraqi resistance groups - caused
collision of US KC-135 tankers
during war on Iran: Report
May 20th, 12:11pm
(PressTV)
Iraqi resistance groups caused the collision of two KC-135
Stratotankers in Iraqi airspace during the recent
US-Israeli aggression against Iran,
a report says.
A report --- published by the news outlet the Atlantic
on Wednesday said the collision of two US KC-135
Stratotankers over Iraqi airspace on March 12th
2026 during the US-Israeli aggression against
Iran.. which resulted in the destruction of
one of the tankers, and the death of six
crewmen, was not an accident as the
Pentagon had claimed but the result
of Iraqi resistance groups firing on
the two aircraft.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) was aware --- that the Iraqi
resistance group had fired ground-to-air missiles forcing the
aircrafts to take evasive actions but decided to ignore this
fact in favour of more highly classified information.... that
considered the incident the result of human error, the
report explained.
Soon after the crash, a coalition of Iraqi resistance groups
known as the Islamic Resistance in Iraq - which includes
Kata’ib Hezbollah, took responsibility, saying that it had
used "appropriate weaponry" to shoot down the tanker
"in defense of our country's sovereignty - and its
airspace - violated by the aircraft of the
occupation forces."
CENTCOM’s quick and definitive public assessment of
the incident, despite intelligence suggesting a more
complicated picture, fits a Trump-administration
pattern of omitting from its public statements
important details about the conduct of the
aggression against Iran, according to
the report.
“Senior officials have trumpeted military successes—two days
before the crash, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said the
US had ‘total air dominance,’ and have downplayed the
resilience of the Iranian armed forces” and Islamic
resistance movements across West Asia, the
report said.
The contrasting accounts of what preceded the crash point
to the confusion of a crowded battlefield, as well as, to the
“serious threat” that the Iranian armed forces and Islamic
resistance movements pose to the US and Israeli war
efforts, the report emphasized.
According to the report, Islamic resistance groups remain a
“potent force” as they have “pounded US facilities across
Iraq with relentless rocket and drone attacks since the
war began, forcing a near-total evacuation of the US
embassy in Baghdad.”
Islamic resistance groups possess advanced arsenals,
including ballistic missiles and anti-aircraft weapons,
the report added.
During the aggression, “they struck US sites in Iraq, more
than 600 times with drone and missile attacks, and their
targets have included bases, diplomatic facilities, and
aircraft on the ground,” it noted.
Iraqi resistance movements have forced the US to expend
costly air-defense munitions to protect US personnel and
facilities, the report further stated.
In a matter of - three days, Iran and the resistance axis
destroyed seven US KC-135 tankers, crippling America
The report also pointed to rifts within the US ruling
system, citing contradictorily remarks about the
depletion of munitions.
“Hegseth -- and General John Daniel Caine -- chairman of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have publicly minimized any
concerns .....about the depletion of US munitions
but not everyone in the administration - trusts
those assurances. In White House meetings
Vice President Vance --- has repeatedly
questioned the Pentagon about the
accuracy of such claims,”
the report noted.
According to several US officials, the tankers were on a
mission that involved refueling Israeli aircraft. Both
CENTCOM and the Israel armed forces declined
to comment, the report concluded.
The criminal US-Israeli aggression against Iran began
on February 28 with airstrikes that assassinated
senior Iranian officials and commanders,
including the Leader of the Islamic
Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed
Ali Khamenei.
Iranian armed forces - and Islamic resistance movements
across the regions - responded by launching daily missile
and drone operations targeting locations in the Israeli-
occupied territories as well as US military bases and
assets across the region.
Furthermore, Iran retaliated against the strikes by closing
the Strait of Hormuz, which resulted in a significant
increase in oil prices and its by-products.
____________________________________________
Russia’s Putin, China’s Xi jointly denounce
the recent US-Israeli war of aggression
against Iran
May 20th, 12:12pm
(PressTV)
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart
Xi Jinping have jointly condemned the recent US-Israeli war
of aggression against Iran, calling for dialogue as the only
way to end the destabilizing conflict.
In a joint statement released on Wednesday, Putin, who is on
a state visit to China, and Xi stressed that both countries
agreed that the US and Israeli military attacks on Iran
violate international law and the basic principles of
international relations, and seriously undermine
stability in West Asia region.
The two leaders emphasized the necessity for the conflicting
sides to return to dialogue and negotiations - as quickly as
possible - with the aim of preventing the expansion of
the conflict.
Putin and Xi also called on the international community to adopt
an objective and neutral stance, to help de-escalate tensions
in the West Asia region, and jointly uphold the fundamental
principles of international relations.
The United States, in close collaboration with Israel, waged
an unprovoked war of aggression against Iran on February
28, killing more than 3,300 people ---------- and devastating
civilian infrastructure.
Iranian armed forces responded ---- with daily missile and drone
operations ---- targeting locations in Israeli-occupied territories
& US military bases & facilities across the Persian Gulf region.
Russia says it remains committed to close cooperation with
Iran to find peaceful solutions to the Middle East crisis
within the framework of international law.
Forty days into the war, a two-week Pakistan-brokered ceasefire
took effect on April 8th, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce
a lasting agreement, due to Washington’s excessive demands.
US President Donald Trump later....... extended the truce
unilaterally and indefinitely.
Iran has closed the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which carries a
fifth of the world's oil and gas -- to ships belonging to the US
& its allies that participated in or supported the aggression
triggering a significant spike in oil prices, as the US
imposed a naval blockade on Iranian vessels
and ports.
Tehran says - the illegal US blockade on Iran’s ports should be
lifted before the next stage of talks for ending the war begins,
as Trump constantly threatens to resume strikes on Iran - if
his excessive demands are not met.
Separately on Wednesday, the Chinese president called for a
lasting peace in the region and warned about the possible
resumption of war.
“A comprehensive ceasefire is imperative, restarting war is
even more unacceptable, and adhering to negotiations
is particularly important,” Xi stressed.
_____________________________________________
'War beyond the region': IRGC
vows --- new aggression will
lay enemies in black dust
May 20th, 10:46am
(PressTV)
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has warned that if
aggression against Iran is repeated, the regional war that had
previously been promised will this time be extended beyond
the region, and that devastating blows would be delivered
from places the enemy....... cannot imagine.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the IRGC addressed the
United States directly, saying the "American-Zionist enemy"
has failed to learn from repeated major strategic defeats
at the hands of the Islamic Revolution and has - once
again - resorted to threats.
"Although.. they attacked us with the full capabilities of two
armies – the most expensive armies in the world – we did
not bring all the capacities of the Islamic Revolution..
into action against them," the statement said.
"But now, if aggression against Iran is repeated, the regional
war that had been promised will this time be drawn beyond
the region, and our crushing blows - will lay you in black
dust .......in places you cannot imagine."
The statement, issued under the Qur'anic verse "Fight the
leaders of disbelief – indeed they have no [commitment
to] oaths – that they might cease" (Surah Al-Tawbah,
verse 12), said the IRGC would demonstrate its
power on the battlefield rather than through
empty statements - or virtual pages.
"We are men of war, and you ---- will see our power on the
battlefield, not in hollow statements or virtual pages,"
the IRGC said. "And there is no victory except from
God, the Almighty, the Wise."
The warning comes amid escalating war rhetoric from US
President Donald Trump.. who has threatened in recent
days to launch renewed strikes against Iran if indirect
diplomatic discussions do not conclude..... in
an agreement.
Return to war to feature 'many more surprises':
Iran FM to US
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says Iran has "many more
surprises" in store for the US - should Washington seek a
potential resumption of its unprovoked aggression.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also warned earlier
on Wednesday that any return to war with Iran would bring
“many more surprises.”
The brutal US-Israeli aggression on Iran - was launched on
February 28 with deadly airstrikes that hit an elementary
school in Minab.... assassinated Leader of the Islamic
Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei..... and
killed senior Iranian officials and commanders.
The Islamic Republic retaliated to the US-Israeli strikes
by firing hundreds of drones and missiles at US-Israeli
military and commercial targets --- across the region.