The deputy leader of Hezbollah said the Iran-backed group had moved beyond “painful blows” inflicted by Israel as Israeli forces began ground operations in the southwest of Lebanon, expanding its incursions into a new zone, Reuters reports.

Naim Qassem said the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel was a “war about who cries first”, and that Hezbollah would not cry first. He said its capabilities are still intact after a year of fighting.