Qaani Warns of Punishment for Perpetrators of Brutality in Lebanon

By Al Mayadeen English

Iran’s Quds Force chief Esmail Qaani warns "Israel" of harsh punishment for its attacks on Lebanon, praising Resistance fighters and condemning Netanyahu’s brutality.

Brigadier General Esmail Qaani, the commander of Iran’s Quds Force, issued a strong message to Lebanese Resistance fighters and members of the broader Resistance Front, condemning recent Israeli attacks on Lebanon and pledging accountability for perpetrators.

In his statement, Qaani praised the role of Lebanese Resistance fighters in confronting the enemy, saying their actions “will bear victory”. Addressing the Israeli regime, he warned that “the killer Zionists will regret their actions” and that they will face “harsh punishment”.

He also lauded the steadfastness of Resistance forces, declaring, “I kiss your hands one by one”, in recognition of their “decisive and courageous decisions”. Qaani said their struggles are “great heroic epics” that are “carved into the rocks of dignity and steadfastness and will create legacies for humanity.”

The Quds Force commander characterized "Israel’s" history as “bloody, criminal, and anti-human, full of killing of innocent people, women, and children.” He singled out Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for seeking to demonstrate that “he is more savage and cruel-hearted than his master, the United States.”

Israeli aggression kills 250+, injures 1,150+

On Wednesday, after a two-week ceasefire that would include Iran, the United States, and their allies, including Lebanon, the Israeli occupation launched a large-scale aggression, carrying out a series of coordinated bombings that have left more than 250 people martyred and over 1,150 others wounded in Lebanon.

Approximately 150 airstrikes were carried out across Lebanon within just two hours, highlighting the scale and intensity of the attacks that targeted several regions across the country, including the capital Beirut, its southern suburbs, southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley, and Mount Lebanon, with residential neighborhoods and civilian infrastructure bearing the brunt of the bombardment.

The Lebanese Civil Defense announced that a total of 254 people were martyred and 1,165 others were injured in Wednesday’s attacks.

Hezbollah had ceased attacks on Israeli positions since the ceasefire was announced; however, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted that Lebanon would not be included in the ceasefire, despite it being explicitly named in the initial announcement made by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who mediated talks between Tehran and Washington. 

Iran said that a ceasefire in Lebanon was among its core demands to agree to the limited truce, promising to respond to the blatant violation.