Beirut: Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem affirmed that they have prepared themselves for a long confrontation and will surprise the enemy on the battlefield.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, in a televised address today, Qassem stated: "We in Lebanon are waging a battle of legitimate defense against the American-Israeli aggression. The battle we are fighting is the battle of resistance in Lebanon against the Israeli aggression on Lebanon."

He added: "This battle is not for anyone else's sake; it is a Lebanese battle, based on legitimate defense. We are facing an aggression against Lebanon that has continued for 15 months, and there is no solution to this aggression except resistance, otherwise Lebanon will face annihilation."

Sheikh Qassem emphasized that diplomatic efforts in Lebanon have failed miserably and have not been able to prevent Israeli attacks. He added that they have learned lessons from the previous confrontation and that Israel does not have a genuine target bank.