Hezbollah Leader Rejects Lebanon-Israel Talks Amid Escalating Conflict

A power struggle over Lebanon’s future tilted into sharper focus on Monday as Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem publicly denounced upcoming talks between Lebanese and Israeli officials scheduled to take place in Washington, DC. In a fiery televised address, Qassem called for the Lebanese government to cancel its participation, describing the talks as a strategic “ploy” by Israel to pressure Hezbollah into disarmament. Tensions between Israel and the Iran-backed armed group have surged in recent weeks