Naim Qassem named Hezbollah chief: What you need to know
Hezbollah has appointed Naim Qassem as its new leader. He replaces Hassan Nasrallah, who died in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut last month. Qassem has served as Hezbollah’s Deputy Secretary General since 1991. The Shura Council, Hezbollah’s primary decision-making body, elected him. This announcement came via Hezbollah’s Telegram channel.
Hezbollah praised Qassem for his dedication to the group’s principles and goals. The 71-year-old Qassem is often referred to as Hezbollah’s “number two.” He is a religious scholar who helped establish the group in the early 1980s. After the 2006 war with Israel, he became the most senior Hezbollah official to maintain public appearances, while Nasrallah largely went into hiding. As a key spokesperson, Qassem has frequently engaged with international media amid ongoing tensions with Israel. His recent televised address was only his second since hostilities escalated in September.
Qassem has a long history in Shia political activism and has been a prominent figure in the Iran-backed organization for over three decades. His leadership comes at a critical time, especially following the killing of Hashem Safieddine, who was seen as a potential successor to Nasrallah.
In a televised address on October 8, delivered from an undisclosed location, Qassem framed the ongoing conflict with Israel as a test of resilience. He stated, “The conflict between Hezbollah and Israel is a war about who cries first, and Hezbollah will not cry first.”
Nasrallah’s death in late September marked a significant shift for Hezbollah. Since Israel intensified its focus on the group, many senior officials have faced targeting. Reports suggest that Nasrallah has gone underground, with speculation that he may have fled to Iran.
With Qassem now at the helm, Hezbollah will likely navigate these challenges while aiming to maintain its influence in the region. His deep-rooted history in the organization positions him as a stabilizing force during this turbulent period.
