It appears Hezbollah has realized it has bitten off more than it can chew in its war with Israel. The terrorist group’s deputy leader, Sheikh Naim Qassem, announced that Hezbollah is endorsing ceasefire efforts in Lebanon, a significant shift from the organization’s prior position.

The announcement comes shortly after Hezbollah escalated hostilities against Israel in solidarity with Hamas.

“We support the political efforts led by (Parliament Speaker Nabih) Berri under the banner of achieving a ceasefire. Once the ceasefire is firmly established and diplomacy can reach it, all other details will be discussed and decisions will be made collaboratively,” Qassem said from an undisclosed location, according to CNN.

The most recent statement from Hezbollah is notable in that it is not trying to coerce Israel into halting its offensive against Hamas in Gaza as it had previously.

Lebanon’s Hezbollah began firing at Israel on October 8 last year to show solidarity with Hamas, which had launched an attack on Israel from Gaza a day earlier.

Hezbollah had previously stated that it would only cease its attacks on Israel once a ceasefire was reached with Hamas in Gaza.

Israel, however, insisted that Hezbollah separate its conflict with Israel from the ongoing war with Hamas.

In his speech marking the first anniversary of Hezbollah’s involvement in the war, Qassem did not mention a Gaza ceasefire as a condition for achieving one in Lebanon.

It was Qassem’s second speech since Israel assassinated Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah late last month.

Israel has since been conducting limited ground incursions into southern Lebanon targeting Hezbollah, which has continued to fire rockets into northern Israel.

After eliminating Nasrallah, Israel continued its offensive against Hezbollah, intensifying military actions aimed at dismantling the group’s capabilities.

Despite expressing support for a ceasefire, Qassem still tried to appear strong, taking a defiant tone in his speech. “If the enemy continues its war, then the battlefield will be decisive, and the battlefield belongs to us,” he said.

The White House appears to have given up on a ceasefire deal, at least for the time being. Officials told CNN that the Biden administration has stopped pushing for such an agreement and has decided to try limiting the scope of Israeli operations instead of halting them.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have been bombarding Hezbollah, targeting strongholds and weapons caches in southern Lebanon. “Our soldiers entered Hezbollah’s underground infrastructure; exposed Hezbollah’s hidden weapons caches and seized and destroyed the weapons,” stated IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari.

On the anniversary of Hamas’ October 7, 2023 massacre of Israeli civilians, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to continue until the country’s enemies are eliminated. “A year ago, we suffered a terrible blow. Over the past 12 months, we have completely transformed reality,” he said while addressing military personnel.

Hezbollah appears to have had enough of being pummeled by the IDF. The organization has been unable to mount a challenge to Israel as it had during the war in 2006 during the Lebanon war.