Qassem has led Hezbollah since Sept. 27, following the assassination of former leader Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike. He also stressed the need for a ceasefire in Gaza, stating, "We cannot separate Lebanon from Palestine, or Palestine from the world."
Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging fire regularly since Israel began its assault on Gaza last October, with the conflict intensifying in mid-September when Israel launched air strikes on Lebanon, including Beirut. A week later, Israel started a ground offensive in southern Lebanon.
Lebanon's Health Ministry reported that 2,350 people have been killed since the start of the Israeli attacks, with 1,740 deaths since mid-September. Over one million people have fled their homes in southern and eastern Lebanon.
Hezbollah said it launched rockets toward Haifa and targeted Israeli military vehicles near the border. Israel responded with air strikes across Lebanon, following attacks that killed 41 people. In the latest strike, 10 people were killed and 15 wounded in Qana, southern Lebanon.
Israel also struck targets in southern and eastern Lebanon, including Baalbek, where a hospital was put out of service. Hezbollah claimed to have downed two Israeli drones.
Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati said the country is ready to strengthen its military presence in the south if a ceasefire is reached, in coordination with UNIFIL. He added that the U.S. provided assurances that Israel would scale back its attacks on Beirut.
Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced plans to visit Lebanon on Oct. 18.
