Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem called on Saudi Arabia to “turn a new page” with the group, urging Riyadh to set aside years of hostility and join a regional front against Israel.

Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states designated Hezbollah a terrorist organization in 2016 and have long accused it of undermining Lebanon’s sovereignty. In recent months, Riyadh has joined Washington and Hezbollah’s domestic rivals in pressing the Lebanese government to curb the group’s arsenal.

In a televised address this week, Qassem insisted that Hezbollah’s weapons are aimed solely at Israel, not at Lebanon, Saudi Arabia or any other country.

“The arms of the resistance are pointed at the Israeli enemy, not Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, or any other place in the world,” he said.

He urged regional powers to put aside past disputes, saying dialogue would “freeze disagreements of the past, at least in this exceptional phase, so that we can confront Israel and curb it.” Pressuring Hezbollah, he added, “is a net gain for Israel.”

Qassem framed his remarks as a “message of calm” to Lebanon and the region, portraying Israel as the sole destabilizing force in the Middle East.

“The entire region is at a dangerous political crossroads. US-backed Israel is an expansionist and occupying entity at the height of its criminality,” he said.

“The situation in the region before the Israeli strike on Qatar is not the same as after the strike,” he added, referring to an attack earlier this month that targeted Hamas leaders and drew Arab condemnation for violating Qatar’s sovereignty.

Qassem warned that Israel’s ambitions extended across the region.

“The target has become Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Iran,” he charged.

The Hezbollah official also criticized Washington, saying the United States provides the Lebanese army with only “the bare minimum” of weapons, while blocking any arms that could threaten Israel.

Domestically, Qassem praised President Joseph Aoun, parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam for condemning Israel’s recent escalation in southern Lebanon. He urged cooperation among Lebanese factions in governance, legislation and reform.

“Hezbollah helped in deterring the enemy, and afterwards we took part in electing the president and forming the government,” Qassem said. “So, let us cooperate in legislation and running the country. Let us work together.”

He also called for next year’s parliamentary elections to be held on schedule, for the government to prioritize reconstruction and economic recovery, and for a “positive dialogue over a national security strategy.”