BEIRUT, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem accused the United States of controlling the Middle East through what he described as a "broader American strategy," according to an interview published by Al-Ahed News on Monday.
Qassem said in the interview that Washington uses Israel as a tool to shape the region's political landscape, citing U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, its recognition of the Golan Heights as Israeli territory and the war in Gaza as evidence.
He also accused Washington of overseeing weapons shipments, military coordination, and political pressure on the Lebanese state, including calls to disarm Hezbollah.
Qassem said the U.S. policy of domination by force is linked to what he called a convergence between American hegemony and the "Greater Israel" project.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday stressed the strength of the U.S.-Israel alliance, adding that the military is capable of fighting on multiple fronts, despite over two years of conflict in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, and Yemen, as well as a "12-day war" with Iran last summer.
Hezbollah and Israel engaged in cross-border fighting following the outbreak of the Gaza conflict in October 2023.
A ceasefire agreement between the two sides has been in effect since Nov. 27, 2024. Despite the agreement, Israel has continued to carry out occasional strikes in Lebanon, claiming they are aimed at eliminating Hezbollah "threats." ■
