"The resistance emerged in our region because of the Israeli occupation, which is supported by the tyrants of the world, foremost among them America. Since its establishment in 1982, Hezbollah in Lebanon has continued this resistance alongside all honorable people in Lebanon and the region to confront the occupation and liberate the land and the people.

All the wars instigated by this Zionist enemy under flimsy pretexts are expansionist wars aimed at establishing Greater Israel. The agreements concluded between it and those it attacked, along with their countries and lands, such as Madrid and Oslo, are nothing but milestones for consolidating what it has occupied, pending a new phase for a new war. Therefore, it has not abided by any agreement. Without American and Western support, it would not have been able to consolidate its occupation, let alone expand it. This support is what led to the crimes of genocide against the steadfast and resisting Palestinian people in Gaza, the West Bank, and all of Palestine. However, the steadfastness of this people in the face of the occupation and the arrogance that supports it will keep Jerusalem and Palestine for their people, God willing.

It is true that the cost of resistance is high, but surrender and concessions leave nothing behind. In Lebanon, had it not been for the resistance, the sacrifices of our people and our families, the offering of righteous martyrs, foremost among them the Master of the Martyrs of the Nation, Sayyed Hassan (may God be pleased with him), Sayyed al-Hashimi, the wounded and prisoners, and the bearing of the burdens of displacement and the destruction of homes and crops … had it not been for this great steadfastness, the Israeli enemy would have begun establishing settlements and would have controlled all of Lebanon politically, administratively, and territorially. It would not have stopped at the point it has reached now.

Our steadfastness and the continuation of our resistance are our only path to liberating all our land, even if it takes time.

As for the opposing picture on the enemy’s side, it is failure to achieve its objectives, internal confusion, and political, economic, and social crises, etc., whose consequences are emerging one after another and affecting the future performance of this enemy. What happened in the results of the Israeli elections is one manifestation of defeat.

As for tyrannical America, its condition is no better. Iran and its great people stood firm and offered martyrs, foremost among them the dearest Sayyed, the leader of its path and the path of the nation, the martyred Imam Khamenei (may God sanctify his soul), his family, and members of the leadership and the people. However, Iran thwarted America’s and Israel’s objectives of overthrowing the Islamic system and dividing the country. It has become clear that it is impossible for America to gain control over Iran, at a time when America is experiencing confusion in its political decisions, suffering a severe economic crisis, and has lost its global standing. It is preparing to leave the region … All of this is thanks to the steadfastness of the great Iranian people and the wise and courageous leadership of Ayatollah Sayyed Mojtaba Khamenei (may his shadow endure)."

"In light of the developments currently taking place in Lebanon and the region, we affirm the following:

1. The resistance continues, grounded in the legitimacy of the right to resist and what the Taif Constitution guarantees. It will confront aggression against it and against Lebanon. There is no room for discussion about withdrawing its weapons as long as the occupation exists and its aggression continues. The enemy must withdraw in accordance with the agreement of 27/11/2024 and Resolution 1701, and the Lebanese army must deploy south of the Litani River.

2. The framework agreement has no legitimacy because it violates the Constitution, the Taif Agreement, the laws, the presidential inaugural address, and the government’s statement. It is therefore legally as though it does not exist. It is an agreement that gives the enemy what does not belong to it, relinquishes Lebanon’s sources of strength, and relies on inciting strife and destroying the country.

3. We are concerned with the Iran–America agreement because it is the only available source of strength alongside the steadfastness of the resistance, our people, and its supporters. The agreement has proven its effectiveness simply through the issuance of the memorandum of understanding, which lowered the level of aggression against Lebanon. This is because the Islamic Republic of Iran places stopping Israeli aggression against Lebanon and withdrawing from its territory at the top of its priorities. This is a great sacrifice that we appreciate from the icon of free people around the world.

4. We are not concerned with who governs the usurping Israeli entity. However, let him know that he will not be able to continue his occupation and must leave our land.

5. An end must be put to American tutelage and its control over certain levers of the state. Tutelage is like occupation, and both constitute a violation of sovereignty.

6. We salute the remarkable solidarity of our people and all honorable citizens in our country around the resistance. We reaffirm our pledge, which we issued under the title ‘A Promise and a Commitment,’ that we will remain together to provide shelter, carry out repairs, and rebuild, using our own resources, while striving for the Lebanese state to fulfill its duties and for brotherly and friendly countries to provide assistance.

7. We are committed to national unity and are prepared to do everything that mends the rift and unifies the position. However, we want actions from others that practically confirm this conviction in unity.

8. We reassure you that the relationship between Hezbollah, the Amal Movement, and the allied forces that support the resistance is strong. This relationship is based on the principles of Lebanon’s sovereignty, the importance of the national army’s role and support for it, the rejection of strife in all its forms, and dialogue and understanding with all components of the Lebanese people and the authorities, within the framework of the constants of sovereignty and the Constitution."

Israeli so-called “Democratic Party” leader Yair Golan called on the opposition, led by Gadi Eisenkot, to form a government in partnership with ‘Arab’ (Palestinian) parties following Israel’s elections.

In a post on X, Golan declared that Netanyahu had lost, arguing that the opposition commands a 65-seat majority against Netanyahu’s 55. He condemned Netanyahu’s distinction between Jewish and ‘Arab’ votes as racist, insisting that the vote of a Palestinian citizen in Tayibe carries exactly the same weight as that of a Jewish citizen in Givat Shmuel.

Responding to Netanyahu’s insistence on a “Zionist majority,” Golan pointed to the 16 lawmakers from non-Zionist ultra-Orthodox parties within Netanyahu’s bloc, criticizing their support for widespread military draft exemptions. He argued that the opposition holds both a Zionist majority of 49 seats against 39 and an overall parliamentary majority of 65 against 55 when Palestinian parties are included.

Golan urged opposition leaders to abandon their reluctance to cooperate with Palestinian representatives and establish a government serving all citizens. “We have a majority. We have responsibility. And we have an opportunity to form a government of change in partnership with Israel’s Arab citizens,” he wrote.

Meanwhile, with counting still underway, the latest reported results give Netanyahu’s bloc 54 seats, Eisenkot’s bloc 48, and Arab parties 18, leaving no bloc with a majority on its own.

▪️ “The Ministry of Health warns of the catastrophic consequences resulting from the increasing stoppage of buses and transport buses for transporting medical cadres to and from various health facilities, and the complete exit of a large number of them, as a result of the acute and complete access of oils and fuel, and the suspension of the supply of spare parts, tires and batteries.”

▪️ “We are facing a protracted crisis whose features worsen daily, and it is no longer possible in any way to postpone its solution or deal with it through temporary solutions, as the continuation of this deterioration directly means the complete and complete paralysis of health care delivery in hospitals, primary care centers and emergency health service facilities, as a result of the forced inability of the medical staff to reach their workplaces and perform their humanitarian duty.”

▪️ “The Ministry of Health has repeatedly communicated with all concerned international institutions and partners in the health sector, and issued urgent distress calls in which it explained in numbers and data the extent of the danger to the transfer of cadres, but until this moment the Ministry has not felt any actual response or concrete action on the ground that puts an end to this severe crisis.”

▪️ “Transport companies have reached a state of absolute inability to provide alternatives for operation or maintenance of buses; where every bus that undergoes any technical failure has turned into a ‘deaf mass of iron’ out of service without the slightest possibility of repairing it, in light of the complete absence of spare parts, tires and oils, and the limitation of the quantities of fuel available to the scarce daily supply, which cannot be guaranteed the continuity of the safe transport service of cadres, or the continued transport of the sick and wounded between different facilities.”

▪️ “The suspension of transport services and the interruption of medical staff from their work centers is not just a logistical obstacle, but a direct threat to the safety of thousands of patients and wounded who depend on the presence of these teams around the clock to receive life-saving care.”

▪️ “The Ministry of Health renews its urgent and direct appeal to all concerned authorities and health work partners to quickly intervene immediately to provide fuel, oil and emergency maintenance needs (frames, batteries and spare parts).”

According to a report by Anadolu Agency, US War Secretary Pete Hegseth met with his counterparts from Australia, Japan, and the Philippines today in Cebu City to expand operational military cooperation along the “First Island Chain.”

Speaking on the sidelines of the 20th ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting, Hegseth declared that Washington is advancing “beyond words to practical cooperation” in order to fortify western military posture and enforcement across the Pacific.

The high-level talks in the Philippines featured intense US diplomatic pressure to institutionalize an “ambitious” defense framework between Washington and the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Addressing regional defense chiefs, Hegseth outlined an aggressive strategy aimed at maintaining a western-dominated “balance of power,” explicitly pitching joint maritime patrols and forward military readiness under the guise of “peace through strength.”

While Hegseth held separate bilateral sessions with defense officials from South Korea, India, Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam, Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun notably skipped the Cebu gathering.

The absence of Beijing’s top military official underscores mounting regional resistance against US efforts to draw Southeast Asian states into multilateral containment alliances targeting China.

Ynet sources close to US President Donald Trump said the president wants to “make sure” Netanyahu excludes Otzma Yehudit leader Itamar Ben-Gvir from his next government, with Religious Zionism leader Bezalel Smotrich also likely to be targeted for exclusion.

Sources close to Trump say the president considers a government that includes Ben-Gvir out of the question. This also explains why Trump claimed credit Wednesday morning for Netanyahu’s electoral gains as official results began emerging during the vote count. In doing so, Trump effectively reminded Netanyahu of the terms of their agreement and made clear that he would not back down from his demands.

As election results continue to come in, neither of Israel’s two main political blocs appears to have secured a clear majority to form a government. The focus is now on whether Trump will deepen his involvement in Israeli politics after endorsing Netanyahu ahead of the election, potentially seeking to broker a national unity government that brings together rival political parties.

Under the understanding reached between Trump and Netanyahu, the two leaders would prioritize Iran during the first of Trump’s two remaining years in office, aiming to bring a ‘definitive end’ to the US-Isreali war on Tehran. In Trump’s second and final year, Netanyahu could be required to step down, potentially through a plea bargain or another arrangement, while efforts to expand the Abraham Accords, which Trump considers a cornerstone of his legacy, advance.

Several Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, have already told the US president they will not pursue normalization with Israel while Netanyahu remains prime minister. Trump may therefore seek to establish a unity government with a rotating premiership to help advance the expansion of the Abraham Accords.