The leader of Iran-backed Hezbollah has reiterated the group’s rejection of a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.

Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem announced in a written statement on Monday that there was no ceasefire in Lebanon, but continued Israeli-American aggression, vowing that Hezbollah would “show patience and continue to resist.”

The Hezbollah chief argued that Israel “has not implemented a single step of the agreement, violated it more than 10,000 times, killed 500 civilians, injured hundreds, destroyed thousands of homes and livelihoods, and displaced people from their villages.”

Two days after Israel and the US launched a joint attack on Iran on February 28, Israel’s on-and-off war with Hezbollah escalated dramatically. Ground attacks continued after Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon and the capital Beirut.

Israeli officials say that when they… Not seeking to permanently annex part of Lebanonthe forces will. Indefinite occupation of a “security zone” in the south of the country along the border with IsraelResidents south of the declared “yellow line” will not be allowed to return to their homes until the Hezbollah threat is eliminated.

“There is no yellow line or buffer zone, and there will never be one,” Qassem declared on Monday, accusing Israel of trying to seize the land by force. “With our faith and our special choice to reclaim and liberate our land and refuse to surrender, we will surely be able to fight it out.”

Lebanon’s state news agency reported clashes between Hezbollah and Israeli forces in the south on Monday.

Israel and Hezbollah have regularly accused each other of violations since a cease-fire was implemented more than three weeks ago, with both sides claiming the attacks were carried out in self-defense.

Lebanese officials say Israeli operations have killed more than 2,600 people and displaced more than 1 million. Iranian and Hezbollah missile and drone strikes have killed at least 40 people in Israel since the war began in late February.