[News] Sheikh Qassem to Velayati: Hezbollah thwarted IOF goals despite losses

[Anti-Imperialist News]

english.almayadeen.net
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/sheikh-qassem-to-velayati--hezbollah-thwarted-iof-goals-desp>
Sheikh Qassem to Velayati: Hezbollah thwarted IOF goals despite losses
Al Mayadeen English
February 14, 2026
------------------------------

Hezbollah says it thwarted the recent Israeli offensive despite leadership
losses, as Sheikh Qassem praises Iran’s support and resilience.

   - [image: Hezbollah supporters wave their group's flags and an Iranian
   national flag during a protest condemning recent Israeli military actions
   in Lebanon, Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026 (AP)]
   <https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2026/2/14/57b7ec10-3d98-4a31-a0cc-b5bdfdc8d127.jpg?width=1000>
   Hezbollah supporters wave their group's flags and an Iranian national flag
   during a protest condemning recent Israeli military actions in Lebanon,
   Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026 (*AP*)

Hezbollah managed to thwart
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/incursions--demolitions--shelling--iof-s--lebanon-violations>
the objectives of the most recent Israeli offensive, despite the
assassination of several of its leaders and other significant losses,
Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem said on Saturday.

In a message addressed to Ali Akbar Velayati, an advisor on international
affairs to Iran’s Leader, Sayyed Ali Khamanei, Sheikh Qassem said
Velayati’s letter had reached him nearly three weeks after it was sent,
which delayed his response. He added that Hezbollah would not forget
Velayati’s support
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/resistance-will-ensure--israel--never-stable-nor-defined--sh>
during the party’s early years, as well as during his tenure as Iran’s
foreign minister.

Sheikh Qassem also stressed that the Islamic Republic of Iran had played a
central role in supporting the Resistance and the Palestinian people,
praising what he described as Iran’s resilience over decades in the face of
wars and sanctions. He said the steadfastness of the Iranian leadership had
been a key factor in sustaining this course.

Addressing the large-scale Israeli war on Lebanon
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/resistance-is-key-to-lebanon-s-sovereignty-and-future--sheik>
between September and November 2024, Sheikh Qassem said the period
witnessed intense confrontations following the killing of several leaders.
However, he said the Resistance continued its operations and foiled the
Israeli attempt to eliminate Hezbollah.

He concluded by calling for continued support and prayers, expressing hope
for Iran’s victory against its adversaries.
Hezbollah in a position of defense: Sheikh Qassem

On February 3, commenting on Hezbollah's situation, Secretary-General
Sheikh Qassem said the Resistance party is currently in a phase of defending
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/sheikh-qassem--hezbollah-in-a-phase-of-defense--not-surrende>
the land, its existence, and the path of liberation.

He stated that the Israeli occupation seeks to strike
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/-war-on-iran-this-time-could-set-entire-region-ablaze---shei>
the Resistance’s social base in an effort to intimidate it and force it
into surrender, arguing that while "Israel" claims it aims to neutralize
Hezbollah’s military arsenal, its true objective is to “neutralize our
existence.”

Sheikh Qassem added that the Resistance’s position remains rooted in defense
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/sheikh-qassem--us-interference-threatens-sovereignty-and-sta>,
emphasizing that the battle imposed on Lebanon is not one of choice but out
of necessity.
Iran dealt biggest blow to US, 'Israel': Sheikh Qassem

While on Iran, in remarks he made on January 26, Sheikh Qassem said that
“the biggest blow dealt to the United States and Israel was the very
establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

He argued that since the 1979 revolution, Iran has faced sustained hostility
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/sheikh-qassem--including-civilian-delegation-a-concession-to>
from Washington, which, he said, “cannot tolerate the existence of a free
and independent country that serves as a reference for Muslims and the
oppressed worldwide.”

Sheikh Qassem claimed that Iran’s adversaries had attempted to weaken the
country internally through economic pressure and by infiltrating what he
described as legitimate protests with destructive groups
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/hezbollah-ready-to-face--israel--in-case-of-war--sheikh-naim>.
He alleged that these groups targeted security forces and civilians and set
fire to mosques, vehicles and public facilities, but failed to achieve
their aims.

He also referred to the eight-year Iran-Iraq war, describing it as a
conflict waged by the United States against Iran through Iraq, involving
extensive military spending and a range of weapons, yet ultimately failing
to topple the Islamic Republic.

Sheikh Qassem added that Iran had also resisted during what he described as
a 12-day war, and under the leadership of Sayyed Ali Khamenei, “managed to
foil US and Israeli projects.”

“Washington seeks to dominate the entire world and works with Israel to
strike every Resistance project in the region,” he concluded.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://freedomarchives.org/pipermail/news_freedomarchives.org/attachments/20260214/fc761537/attachment.htm>