International
Hezbollah Elects Naim Qassem As Leader After Nasrallah’s Death
Qassem, one of the group’s few surviving senior figures, has spent over 30 years as deputy secretary general and is among Hezbollah’s founding members.
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The Shura Council elected Qassem in line with Hezbollah’s internal rules. Although his current whereabouts remain uncertain, some reports suggest he may have fled to Iran, Hezbollah’s primary supporter.
Qassem, born in Beirut in 1953 to a family from southern Lebanon, has delivered three televised addresses since Nasrallah’s death, including a call for a ceasefire, which he stated was Israel’s only chance to secure its northern regions.
Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant commented on social media, implying that Qassem’s tenure as leader might be short-lived, calling it a “temporary appointment.”
The announcement follows the death of cleric Hashem Safieddine, who was initially anticipated to succeed Nasrallah until an Israeli strike reportedly killed him weeks ago.
In recent weeks, Israel has conducted numerous airstrikes across Lebanon, citing Hezbollah operatives, infrastructure, and weapon depots as targets. On Monday night, the Israeli military launched airstrikes in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley, a known Hezbollah stronghold.
The Lebanese health ministry reported at least 60 dead and over 50 injured, though the Israeli military has not issued a statement on the attack.
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This escalation follows a year of intensified cross-border violence, initially fuelled by conflict in Gaza. Israeli officials state the offensive aims to secure the safe return of displaced residents from northern border areas affected by Hezbollah’s ongoing rocket, missile, and drone attacks.
Over the past year, more than 2,700 people in Lebanon have died and nearly 12,500 have been injured, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. Meanwhile, Hezbollah’s attacks on northern Israel and the occupied Golan Heights have resulted in at least 59 Israeli casualties.
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