Nasrallah said his guerrillas have replenished their arsenal and have more than 20,000 rockets, which they will never give up unless a stronger Lebanese government takes over.

The Iranian-backed leader's tough stance was aimed at demonstrating that Hezbollah was not weakened by UN peacekeepers and Lebanese troops deploying across southern Lebanon with a mandate to rein in the Shia guerrillas.

The gathering that sprawled over a swath of bombed-out south Beirut was a defiant show of Hezbollah strength and a challenge to the government of Prime Minister Fuad Saniora.

Police officials estimated 800,000 people mostly Shias but including some Christians filled the 37-acre lot to hear Nasrallah, forming a sea of waving yellow Hezbollah banners, mixed with a smaller number of Lebanese flags.

In his first public appearance since Israel launched its offensive against Hezbollah on July 12, Nasrallah called for formation of a new government. He repeatedly attacked Saniora's administration, saying it was weak and unable to protect Lebanon from Israel.

"Tears don't protect anyone," the black-turbaned cleric said in a jab at Saniora, who wept several times in speeches during the Israeli assault as he pleaded for international support.

Nasrallah said his group would keep its arms until Lebanon has a stronger government. Giving up weapons now "under this government ... means leaving Lebanon exposed before Israel to kill and detain and bomb whomever they want, and clearly we will not accept that," he said.