Hezbollah Names Naim Qassem as New Leader After Nasrallah’s Death
Lebanese armed group Hezbollah announced on Tuesday that Naim Qassem was elected as its new leader, following the death of former Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike over a month ago. The decision comes amid escalating tensions between Hezbollah and Israel, with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant suggesting Qassem’s tenure might be short-lived.
“Temporary appointment. Not for long,” Gallant posted on X, accompanied by a photo of Qassem.
Hezbollah’s Shura Council elected Qassem, 71, in line with its established procedures. Qassem has been a senior figure in the Iran-backed group for over three decades. He was first appointed deputy chief in 1991 by then-Secretary General Abbas al-Musawi, who was killed by an Israeli helicopter attack the following year. When Nasrallah became leader, Qassem continued as deputy, becoming one of Hezbollah’s primary spokesmen.
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Nasrallah was killed on September 27 in an Israeli air attack on Beirut’s southern suburbs, known as Dahiyeh. Senior Hezbollah figure Hashem Safieddine, considered a likely successor, was also killed in Israeli strikes a week later. Since Nasrallah’s death, Qassem has delivered several televised addresses, including one on October 8 where he expressed support for efforts to secure a cease-fire for Lebanon.
Speaking from an undisclosed location on October 8, Qassem said, “What we are doing is the bare minimum. … We know that the battle may be long.” He emphasized that Hezbollah’s capabilities remained intact despite “painful blows” from Israel but supported parliamentary speaker Nabih Berri’s efforts to secure a cease-fire.
Israeli officials have been vocal about their stance on Hezbollah’s new leadership. In an official Arabic account on X, the Israeli government stated, “His tenure in this position may be the shortest in the history of this terrorist organization if he follows in the footsteps of his predecessors Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine.” The message added, “There is no solution in Lebanon except to dismantle this organization as a military force.”
Qassem is perceived by many in Lebanon as lacking the charisma and gravitas of Nasrallah. Born in 1953 in Beirut to a family from southern Lebanon, his political activism began with the Lebanese Shiite Amal Movement. He left the group in 1979 after Iran’s Islamic Revolution influenced many young Lebanese Shiite activists. Qassem participated in meetings that led to Hezbollah’s formation in response to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982.
He has been the general coordinator of Hezbollah’s parliamentary election campaigns since the group first contested them in 1992. In 2005, he authored a history of Hezbollah that provided a rare insider’s perspective on the organization.
The recent leadership changes occur against a backdrop of intensified hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel. The two have exchanged missile strikes over the past year, with Israel targeting Hezbollah positions in Lebanon and Hezbollah engaging Israeli forces along the border.
