Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem delivered a message on Thursday to the people of southern Lebanon ahead of the final round of municipal and local elections, praising their decades-long resilience and sacrifices in the face of repeated Israeli aggression.

His remarks come amid ongoing attacks by the Israeli occupation across Lebanon’s south, with the elections in the southern and Nabatieh governorates scheduled for May 24.

In a statement addressed to southern residents, Sheikh Qassem commended their steadfastness, saying: "You have offered the greatest sacrifices and stood as a legendary example of resilience against Israeli aggression for decades, most recently through your support for Operation al-Aqsa Flood and Operation People of Might and beyond."

He emphasized that the people of the South had rebuilt their lands after each wave of destruction. "You rebuilt the south after the liberation in 2000, again after the July 2006 war, and today you have returned before the state and its officials, challenging the danger and sacrificing once more to reclaim your land with determination and courage," he said.

Municipal elections tied to steadfastness

Framing the upcoming municipal elections as part of the resistance, Sheikh Qassem described them as "a challenge tied to the steadfastness of our position and our commitment to the land, to its reconstruction, to its people, its orchards, its homes, and the life it deserves."

He added that those aligned with the Israeli occupation were watching closely: "All those who bet on the Israeli aggression are awaiting the results."

Sheikh Qassem made clear that the resistance views participation as a patriotic duty, not merely an electoral exercise. "We are not asking you to achieve victory in the elections; you are already victorious, God willing, through your unity, your support for Amal and Hezbollah, your backing of the Loyalty and Development lists, and your embrace of the resistance. You are the resistance," he said. "We call on you to intensify your presence and participation in the elections so that victory is thunderous."

He further affirmed that the movement will not concede any part of the land. "We will not relinquish a single grain of soil from our generous south, and we will never accept the Israeli occupation’s presence on any inch of our land," he declared.

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Elections linked to reconstruction

Sheikh Qassem also linked the electoral process to reconstruction, stating that "broad participation in the municipal and local elections is part of the reconstruction process, which we will pursue hand-in-hand with the elected municipalities and the Lebanese state, which must assume its responsibilities."

He concluded by tying the act of rebuilding to honoring the sacrifices of martyrs, wounded, and prisoners. "Reclaiming and rebuilding the south, and all that was destroyed in Lebanon, is an inseparable part of our loyalty to the blood of the martyrs, chief among them the martyr of the Ummah Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and to our wounded and our prisoners, whom we will continue to work to recover," he said.

The fourth and final round of Lebanon’s municipal elections will take place on May 24, encompassing the southern and Nabatieh governorates. The vote is being held under the shadow of continued Israeli attacks, which have posed serious challenges to the electoral process.

Israeli pressure doomed to fail

Sheikh Qassem on Thursday reaffirmed Hezbollah's commitment to the path of Resistance and sacrifice, stating, "We, on the path of Resistance and sacrifice, have offered Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and his martyrdom serves as a beacon for us to continue. The Resistance will remain strong and dignified."

He stressed that the resilience of the Resistance would eventually wear down the enemy. "When the Resistance persists and maintains its strength, the enemy will despair at our power and steadfastness, allowing us to achieve greater dignity and honor," he said.

Sheikh Qassem accused the Israeli occupation of repeated violations of the ceasefire, saying, "Israel has breached the ceasefire agreement more than 3,000 times since it was announced."

He warned that "Israel" was now attempting to eliminate the Resistance through political pressure. "Israel is trying to end the Resistance by continuing its pressures and aggression, but this time through politics," he stated.

Aoun: Municipal elections are developmental, not political

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun visited the Internal Security Forces operations room on Sunday morning to oversee the launch of the second phase of municipal and mayoral elections.

Aoun stated that the elections serve as a message to both the domestic and international communities that "the Lebanese state has been placed back on the right track."

He emphasized that the municipal elections are "developmental, not political," urging citizens in the North and Akkar to participate and vote based on their convictions and the developmental vision that best represents them.

"I urge citizens to vote for the [electoral] program, not the individuals," the Lebanese president indicated.