Hezbollah names new chief; Israel says 'not for long'

Hezbollah appointed Shiite cleric Naim Qassem as its new leader on Tuesday, nearly a month after his predecessor, Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike dealing a heavy blow to the Iran-backed group, CNN reported.

IMAGE: Rescuers and people gather at the site of an Israeli strike in Sidon, Lebanon on October 29, 2024. Photograph: Ali Hankir/Reuters

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant reacted to the announcement on social media platform X, and said that it was only a 'Temporary appointment. Not for long'.

The group's Senior Council elected Qassem, emphasising his commitment to 'Mohammed's authentic Islam' and the organisation's core principles.

Qassem had served as Nasrallah's deputy and is one of the few leaders to survive the recent Israeli onslaught, which targeted many key figures within Hezbollah, as reported by CNN.

Mohanad Hage Ali, deputy director for research at the Malcolm H Kerr Carnegie Middle East Centre, noted that Qassem's appointment was expected as 'the organisation was left with little choices in terms of the top tier clerics'.

He added that Qassem was 'a known face' and thus his appointment was 'a no-brainer choice for the organisation'.

Hashem Safieddine was also seen as a stronger candidate but was killed in an Israeli strike in Beirut.

Born in 1953 in Kfar Kila, Qassem helped found Hezbollah in 1982 and has served as deputy secretary-general since 1991, also overseeing the group's parliamentary efforts.

Prior to joining Hezbollah, he was involved in the political group 'Harakat al Mahrumin', which later became part of the Amal movement, allied with Hezbollah, CNN reported.

Although Qassem has been a prominent figure in Hezbollah, his connection with the average Lebanese may not be as strong as Nasrallah's, who came from a more impoverished background, according to Ali.

Qassem represents a 'lower middle class', while Nasrallah resonated more with the poorer classes, he added.