Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem says his group is ready for a “long confrontation” with Israel as the war continues, reports Al Jazeera.

“God willing, they [Israelis] will be surprised on the battlefield,” Qassem said in a televised address, adding that “the enemy’s threats do not frighten us.”

“This is an existential battle, not a limited or simple battle,” he said.

Qassem added that Israeli threats to assassinate him are “worthless”.