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PBS News Hour - Segments

In rare interview, top Hezbollah leader rejects disarmament, calls for Israeli withdrawal

PBS News Hour - Segments

PBS NewsHour

Daily News, News

4.11K Ratings

🗓️ 21 April 2026

⏱️ 8 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Representatives from the governments of Lebanon and Israel will meet again this week in Washington for peace talks. But Hezbollah is not involved. The full disarmament of the Iran-backed group is a central part of the discussions, but in a rare interview, top Hezbollah official Wafiq Safa tells special correspondent Simona Foltyn they will never give up all of their weapons. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Transcript

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0:00.0

The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah attacked an Israeli army position in northern Israel today,

0:06.4

saying it was in response to several Israeli ceasefire violations.

0:10.6

It's the first time the Iran-backed group has claimed responsibility for an attack during the tenuous truce that started last week.

0:18.3

Representatives from the government of Lebanon and Israel will meet again this Thursday

0:22.6

in Washington for peace talks.

0:25.0

Hezbollah is not involved.

0:26.7

The full disarmament of the group is a central part of the discussions.

0:29.9

But in a rare interview, a top Hezbollah official tells special correspondent Simona Fultein,

0:36.0

they will never give up all of their weapons.

0:40.2

We're about to meet a high-ranking Hezbollah official to understand the group's position on

0:45.1

the ceasefire. He is one of the few senior leaders to have survived Israel's relentless

0:51.1

assassination campaign, and he is still considered a high-value target.

0:56.0

Wafiq Safa is a senior official in Hezbollah's political wing.

1:00.0

He narrowly escaped a targeted Israeli strike in 2024.

1:03.0

This is his first interview on American television.

1:06.0

There have already been several violations in the first days of the ceasefire.

1:10.0

Is Hezbollah committed to abiding by it?

1:12.6

Hezbollah will be this heathna.

1:16.6

Hezbollah is committed to this ceasefire, but we've seen during the last two days that the Israelis have continuously violated it.

1:23.6

Be it the destruction and bulldozing of houses, or the bombardment of villages or even

1:31.7

the killing of civilians.

1:36.1

There can't be a one-sided ceasefire from Hezbollah only.

...

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