Published On 27 Apr 202627 Apr 2026Israel has threatened to “burn” all of Lebanon after Hezbollah reiterated its defiance and rejection of peace talks as war across the border grinds on.The Lebanon-based armed group on Monday condemned Beirut’s ongoing discussions with Israel and again refused to end its campaign of strikes across the border in the face of Israel’s persisting attacks on the south of the country. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz retorted that defiance would bring catastrophic consequences.Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem asserted in a statement that while “sacrifices are great”, the Lebanese people have two options: “Liberation and pride or occupation and humiliation.”The Iran-linked armed group has criticised the Lebanon government for entering talks with Israel to seek an end to the latest series of hostilities, which was sparked by the United States-Israeli war on Tehran.“We are continuing our defensive resistance for Lebanon and its people,” Qassem said. “We will not return to the pre-March [status quo]; we will respond to the Israeli aggression and confront it. No matter what the enemy threatens, we will not retreat, we will not bow down, we will not be defeated.”Hezbollah resumed attacks against Israel on March 2, in response to strikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Lebanon has since outlawed Hezbollah’s military activities and held …
