BEIRUT/JERUSALEM - Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said Sunday that any Israeli military presence on Lebanese territory is unacceptable, stressing that the Lebanese army is the "only party authorized to protect national sovereignty."

"There is no place for security zones or Israeli military positions inside Lebanon," Qassem said in a televised speech on al-Manar local TV channel.

He accused Israel of attempting to redefine the Nov 27, 2024, ceasefire by maintaining freedom of military action inside Lebanon while demanding full compliance from Hezbollah.

He said any future understanding must be based on a complete halt to Israeli attacks, full withdrawal of Israeli forces, and deployment of the Lebanese army south of the Litani River.

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Hezbollah remains committed to any comprehensive ceasefire but will not accept continued "Israeli violations," he said.

Qassem also said the United States can compel Israel to stop its attacks if it chooses to do so, adding that US support has enabled Israel to continue its military operations.

Earlier in the day, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the Israeli army will not withdraw from the "security zone" it holds in southern Lebanon, despite a ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel that took effect on Friday.

The agreement followed the signing of a US-Iran memorandum of understanding aimed at ending conflict on all fronts, including Lebanon.

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Also on Sunday, Israeli drones dropped sound bombs in the city of Nabatieh and an Israeli tank opened fire toward the outskirts of the village of Hadatha in southern Lebanon, marking the first reported violation of a ceasefire announced a day earlier, according to Lebanon's National News Agency.

Meanwhile, Lebanese Civil Defense teams recovered six bodies from the rubble and transported eight wounded people to hospitals in Nabatieh on Sunday during search and rescue operations.

Israel's military chief Eyal Zamir said that the ceasefire is "fragile," according to a statement from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

Speaking during a situation assessment with senior commanders of units operating in southern Lebanon, Zamir stated that the military must maintain a high level of readiness for the renewal of combat operations, and the elimination of threats.

He added that the Israeli military continues to fight, and that its goal remains to protect communities in northern Israel.