Hezbollah official warns Israel against staying in south after 60-day period

Deputy head of Hezbollah's political council Mahmoud Qmati has warned that Hezbollah will deal differently with Israeli soldiers if they remain in Lebanon for more than 60 days - an initial stage of a ceasefire reached in late November.

"We've committed to patience for 60 days and after that the present forces will become occupation forces and we'll deal with them accordingly," Qmati told Hezbollah's al-Manar on Monday.

Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters are to gradually withdraw from southern Lebanon during the 60-day period laid out in the ceasefire agreement brokered by France and the United States. Since the fragile ceasefire went into effect, Israel has been occasionally bombing Lebanon, and troops have been advancing instead of retreating, bulldozing and detonating border villages.

"There are red lines including the resistance's weapons and funds for reconstruction," Qmati said, accusing "homeland's partners" of acting in the interest of Israel.

"We do not want aid on conditions that would harm the resistance. France and the U.S. must understand that we will not accept that our red lines be violated, and that we are ready for everything," Qmati said. "We will not accept the occupation of our land," he later added.

"We are patient today, for the sake of our people and because of the commitment we gave to the mediators. We are committed to being patient for 60 days. On the day 61, we will deal with Israeli forces (inside Lebanon) as occupation forces and we will act accordingly," he warned, adding that the resistance capacities have not be weakened and that Hezbollah is not obliged to be committed to the ceasefire if Israel is not committed to the ceasefire too. "Either there is commitment from both sides, or there is no commitment from both as well."

Qmati said that supporters and citizens who returned to their villages in south Lebanon are now demanding Hezbollah to respond to the Israeli violations. "We were patient for them," he said. "Today they are asking us to retaliate."