BEIRUT (Sputnik) – Lebanese Shia movement Hezbollah will not ask for a ceasefire and is ready to continue the war against Israel for as long as it takes, the new secretary general of the movement, Naim Qassem, said on Wednesday.

«If Israel asks to cease fire, we will agree, but only on our terms. We are not going to ask for a ceasefire however long the war goes on,» Qassem said in a video statement.

Israeli forces should leave Lebanon to save its troops lives, Qassem said, adding that if they do not then the number of casualties among Israeli military will continue to grow.

Hezbollah has enough experienced officers who are ready to accept the leading position and enough troops on the line of contact to continue the fight against Israel and carry out strikes on Israeli territories despite the dominance of the country’s air forces in the sky, Qassem added.