AMNA NAWAZ: The Lebanese militant group# Hezbollah attacked an Israeli army position## in Northern Israel today, saying it# was in response to several Israeli## cease-fire violations.

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

Representatives from the government of# Lebanon and Israel will meet again this## Thursday in Washington for peace# talks.

Hezbollah is not involved.## The full disarmament of the group is# a central part of the discussions.

But, in a rare interview, a top# Hezbollah official tells special## correspondent Simona Foltyn they will# never give up all of their weapons.

SIMONA FOLTYN: We're about to meet a high-ranking# Hezbollah official to understand the group's## position on the cease-fire.

He is one of# the few senior leaders to have survived## Israel's relentless assassination campaign,# and he's still considered a high-value target.

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

He narrowly escaped a targeted## Israeli strike in 2024.

This is his# first interview on American television.

There have already been several# violations in the first days of## the cease-fire.

Is Hezbollah# committed to abiding by it?

WAFIQ SAFA, Senior Member, Hezbollah Political# Council (through translator): Hezbollah is## committed to the cease-fire, but#.. days that the Israelis have continuously# violated it, be it the destruction and## bulldozing of houses or the bombardment of# villages or even the killing of civilians.

There can't be a one-sided cease-fire# from Hezbollah only.

So Hezbollah will## respond to these attacks, but in# a way that we deem appropriate.

SIMONA FOLTYN: We are at an undisclosed location# in Beirut's southern suburbs, a residential area## where Hezbollah enjoys widespread support.# Israeli bombardment has left a trail of## destruction here.

Despite the cease-fire,# the buzz of Israeli drones is constant.

Safa has little confidence in the Trump# administration's ability to restrain Israel.

WAFIQ SAFA (through translator): We don't believe# that there are any guarantees with the Israelis,## but for the weapons that we possess.

SIMONA FOLTYN: It's a lesson learned from## the previous U.S.-backed cease-fire that# was supposed to end the 2024 war.

Israel## had reserved a right to strike what it said were# Hezbollah targets, violating the agreement more## than 10,000 times in 15 months.

Hezbollah held# back until the U.S.

and Israel attacked Iran.

It reentered the war to avenge the killing# of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Many Lebanese blamed Hezbollah for this# decision to drag Lebanon back into a war,## and it looked as though you were defending# Iran's interests and not Lebanon's interests.

WAFIQ SAFA (through translator): In reality,# there's a delusion.

And this delusion stems## from the fact that Israel never stopped the# war.

Diplomacy was tried, and it failed.

Therefore, it was necessary to# take the right decision under the## right circumstances and at the right# time to defend Lebanon and to defend## the Lebanese people, to deter Israel# and to force it to stop the attacks.

SIMONA FOLTYN: The decision to reenter this war,## was that an Iranian decision# or a Lebanese decision?

WAFIQ SAFA (through translator): We chose the# right time, when the Israeli enemy was busy## with its war on Iran.

We benefited# from the ongoing war.

And we don't## deny that Iran also benefited from this# war that we took to the Israeli enemy.

We are in a permanent alliance with the Islamic# Republic, and it's natural that we support each## other.

Israel was preparing for another war# on us, and Hezbollah made the first move.

SIMONA FOLTYN: On March 2, Hezbollah fired# six rockets into Northern Israel.

In response,## Israel sharply escalated its attacks,# killing more than 2,000 Lebanese.

But if Israel was preparing for another war,## why attack first and give them the# justification on a silver platter## for what you knew would be a disproportionate# response that would claim a many civilian lives?

WAFIQ SAFA (through translator): The# Israelis don't need a pretext.

The six## rockets that we fired, why didn't they speak# to the cease-fire monitoring mechanism?

They## bypassed the mechanism and they went straight# to the war they had been threatening us.

SIMONA FOLTYN: But Safa admits that Hezbollah# too was preparing for another war, even as it## appeared to collaborate with the Lebanese# state to hand over some of its weapons.

WAFIQ SAFA (through translator): During these 15# months, Hezbollah was trying to rehabilitate its## military, organizational, political, and social# capabilities.

And Hezbollah succeeded in that.

SIMONA FOLTYN: As part of a U.S.

and# Israel-backed Lebanese government decree,## Hezbollah was supposed to have disarmed south# of the Litani River, which runs up to 18 miles## north of Israel's borders.

The process was# declared completed at the end of December 2025.

We saw with our own eyes how the# Lebanese army confiscated some of## your weapons.

But in the past weeks, we have# seen Hezbollah fighters once again battling## Israeli troops in Southern Lebanon.

So# it seems that you were not disarmed.

WAFIQ SAFA (through translator): The# Lebanese army did seize a number of weapons,## but the Lebanese army didn't know how many# weapons Hezbollah had to begin with.

We## helped the Lebanese army so that the south of the# Litani is free of weapons.

When this war started,## we fired from the north of the Litani to the# north of the river, and it's our right to do so.

SIMONA FOLTYN: Israel says it now wants# to take care of Hezbollah itself.

Its## troops have pushed several miles into Southern# Lebanon, establishing a yellow line similar to## Gaza in what looks like an annexation of land.# Hezbollah has vowed to resist the occupation.

WAFIQ SAFA (through translator): We# don't accept any Israeli presence,## not on our land, not in our# skies, not even in our waters.

SIMONA FOLTYN: Israel says its so-called buffer# zone is necessary to protect residents in## the north.

At least 35 Israelis have been# killed by Iranian and Hezbollah missiles,## though Safa denies that the group# is deliberately targeting civilians.

WAFIQ SAFA (through translator): Let us be# clear and honest.

Hezbollah's ethics and## religion prohibits it from killing civilians.# But what happens when we fire at soldiers,## there may be what is called collateral damage.# If Hezbollah wanted to target civilians,## you would have seen large numbers# of civilians killed and injured.

SIMONA FOLTYN: Following this latest war,## Hezbollah appears to have hardened its# position, boosted by Iran'.. that Israel must cease attacks on Lebanon# if the Strait of Hormuz is to remain open.

WAFIQ SAFA (through translator): As far# as Hezbollah's weapons are concerned,## it's out of discussion.

SIMONA FOLTYN: Hezbollah's demands are clear.

WAFIQ SAFA (through translator): We# want complete and permanent adherence## to the cease-fire, withdrawal from# all occupied Lebanese territory,## the release of the prisoners,# and the return of the displaced.

SIMONA FOLTYN: Israeli and# Lebanese officials will meet## again on Thursday in Washington.

For now,# this tenuous truth is barely holding.

And,## this time, Hezbollah says it# will fight back if it fails.

For the "PBS News Hour,"# I'm Simona Foltyn in Beirut.

AMNA NAWAZ: The "News Hour" has requested# an interview with an Israeli official to## discuss the war with Hezbollah and the current# cease-fire, and we hope to bring that to you soon.