Naim Qassem had been targeted by Israel even before he was announced as the new leader of Hezbollah, succeeding the late Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed by Israel a month ago.
Qassem, supposedly elected two days ago, is widely described as a “temporary” secretary general. This is either because he will soon be hit by an Israeli missile (as Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has already threatened, calling his appointment “temporary”) or because he will be replaced by a figure with greater political weight on a local and regional scale.
The 71-year-old Qassem is not considered a prominent figure in the Hezbollah structure. but has gained attention due to unverified rumors of Hashem Safieddine’s death, who was generally viewed as Nasrallah’s successor. Previously shadowed by Nasrallah as deputy secretary-general, Qassem, a respected sheikh but not a sayyid, has already made three television appearances, sending threats to foreign and Lebanese enemies.
In the face of a power vacuum, he has reaffirmed Hezbollah’s position in Lebanon’s politics, most notably addressing parliament speaker Nabih Berri and threatening that there would be “no political agreement” without Hezbollah after the truce. Qassem, known for his links to southern Lebanon and Hezbollah, is considered less influenced by Iran. Hezbollah’s advisory council reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining the “flame of armed resistance” against Israel.
