BEIRUT (Xinhua) -- Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem confirmed on Saturday that the Lebanese armed group has temporarily lost its weapons supply route through Syria following the recent fall of Bashar al-Assad's government.
In his first televised address since the collapse of Assad's government, Qassem acknowledged the disruption, describing it as a "detail" in the broader scope of Hezbollah's operations.
He added that the supply route could be restored once a new regime is in place, or Hezbollah may seek alternative pathways. A coalition of militant groups, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, seized control of Damascus on Dec. 8, leading to the fall of Assad's government.
People are seen among rubble after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, in Mashghara, Lebanon, on Nov. 30, 2024. (Photo by Taher Abu Hamdan/Xinhua)
Qassem stated that Hezbollah could only assess the new regime once it stabilizes and clarifies its position.
"However, we hope the Lebanese and Syrian peoples and governments will continue cooperating," he said.
Despite the setback, Qassem reiterated that Hezbollah's resistance will continue.
Israel intensified its airstrikes against Syrian military facilities on Saturday, conducting 24 air raids in the countryside of Damascus, according to a war monitor.
The strikes reportedly hit tunnel-equipped installations carved into a mountainside in the targeted area, as reported by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The latest raids bring the total number of Israeli airstrikes on Syrian territory to 426 since the collapse of the Syrian government on Dec. 8. These operations have spanned 13 Syrian provinces, according to the observatory.
Ahmad al-Shara, leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), acknowledged on Saturday the enormous scale of destruction in the Syrian capital Damascus and beyond after the downfall of Bashar al-Assad's government.
In an interview with Syria TV, al-Shara said Syria now stands at a critical juncture, requiring careful data-driven strategies and the establishment of a rule-of-law state to ensure lasting stability.
Al-Shara, who led the military operation that resulted in the collapse of al-Assad's government, emphasized the need to govern with a state-oriented mindset. He called for building institutions based on law and justice.
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan discussed here Saturday the latest developments in Gaza and Syria, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.
The meeting reviewed both sides' efforts to reach a ceasefire and facilitate the exchange of captives in the Hamas-Israel conflict.
Al-Sisi emphasized the urgency of delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza, particularly as winter approaches.
The two sides also discussed the implementation and maintenance of the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon as a key element in regional efforts for calm.