Hezbollah chief says Israel ‘only understands the language of force’

Hezbollah’s secretary general, Sheikh Naim Qassem, said Israel’s 33-day war against Lebanon in 2006 has proved that “the occupying regime only understands the language of force”, Press TV reported. In a speech on the anniversary of Hezbollah’s “victory” against Israel in the 2006 war, Qassem said the 2006 war began after the capture of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah with the “aim of securing the release of Lebanese abductees from Israeli jails”. He said the abduction of Israeli soldiers took place after all communications and diplomatic efforts failed to secure the release of the Lebanese captives, according to Press TV. “This action was necessary to fulfil the promise that we would not abandon our prisoners in jails,” he said.