Hezbollah’s Naim Qassem said Monday that his group would not give up “the weapon that protects us from Israel’s aggression,” doubling down on harsh criticism of the Lebanese government’s plan to disarm the Iran-backed group.

“Those who want to strip us of our weapons want to strip us of our soul, and the world will see our wrath,” Qassem said in a televised speech.

The Lebanese government recently adopted a plan to disarm Hezbollah and all other non-state actors in the country.

Qassem has repeatedly rejected these calls. On Monday, he said Israel first needed to implement the US-brokered ceasefire reached last November before Hezbollah agrees to discuss a national defense strategy in the country.

Israel continues to occupy five points inside Lebanon along the southern border. Qassem said Hezbollah would confront Israel to prevent it from settling and achieving its goals in Lebanon, vowing, “This confrontation will continue.”

He also hit out at the Lebanese government, saying it could not be trusted to protect the country’s sovereignty.