Hezbollah’s deputy chief vowed on Monday that the Lebanese resistance movement is ready to meet an Israeli ground offensive, despite the deaths of its leader and some senior commanders.

Israel has not hit Hezbollah’s military capabilities, said Sheikh Naim Qassem as he delivered a message of defiance in a public address.

“We are quite ready, if the Israelis want a ground incursion, the resistance forces are ready for that,” he declared.

Hezbollah’s operations have continued at the same pace and more, since the killing of leader Hassan Nasrallah on Friday, Qassem said. He added that Hezbollah will install a new leadership soon via standard mechanisms. The choice of new leadership is clear, Qassem continued, without offering further details.

He continued Hezbollah will continue with its main goals despite Israel’s aim of creating chaos with aggression and massacres against civilians in Lebanon.