"We have prepared ourselves for a long confrontation, and God willing, they (Israelis) will be surprised on the battlefield," Qassem said in his second televised address since the latest war began, adding that "the enemy's threats do not frighten us".

"This is an existential battle, not a limited or simple battle."

Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war last week when the Tehran-backed militant group attacked Israel in response to the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes.

Israel, which had kept up its strikes in Lebanon even before the war despite a 2024 ceasefire, has since launched air raids and sent ground troops into border areas.

Qassem said his group "will not allow the enemy to achieve its goal of eliminating our existence and controlling Lebanon, and we will remain an impenetrable barrier against it".

"This is our country and we will not allow anyone to control its destiny, its decisions, and how its children live. We are fighting and we are confident of victory."

His speech came as Israel threatened to make Lebanon pay an "increasing price" in damage to infrastructure and launch wider ground operations if Beirut does not disarm Hezbollah.

Qassem called on the Lebanese government to "stop making free concessions, as this makes the enemy more greedy and prolongs the war" and to reverse its latest decisions.

Beirut banned Hezbollah's military and security activities last week, after its attack on Israel triggered the latest war.

The move follows a 2025 government decision to disarm the group.