Beirut: Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem on Thursday rejected the outcomes of direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel. In a statement marking the death anniversary of Iran's former Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini, Qassem said the outcomes of the negotiations "are completely rejected by broad segments of the Lebanese people."

According to Anadolu Agency, Qassem stated that the US-backed ceasefire understandings reflected American and Israeli visions for Lebanon's future and sought to subject the country to what he called the "Greater Israel project." A joint Lebanese-US-Israeli statement announced early Thursday that Beirut and Tel Aviv had agreed during talks in Washington to implement a ceasefire based on a complete halt to Hezbollah fire and the withdrawal of all Hezbollah members from the area south of the Litani River.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun noted that the US would determine the timing and mechanism for implementing the ceasefire, which could begin within 24 hours of receiving approval. The Hezbollah leader accused Israel of attempting "to achieve politically what it had failed to accomplish militarily." He added that Israeli settlements in northern Israel "will not be safe" as long as Lebanese villages remain under attack.

Qassem emphasized that any ceasefire must apply across all Lebanese territory, adding that as long as the Israeli occupation continues, "the resistance will continue." Israel occupies areas in southern Lebanon, some held for decades and others seized during the 2023-2024 conflict. During the current offensive, Israeli forces advanced more than 10 kilometers into Lebanese territory, marking their deepest incursion since 2000.

More than 3,500 people have been killed and over 10,000 injured in Israeli attacks across Lebanon since March 2, according to Lebanese officials.