Hezbollah has selected Naim Qassem as its secretary-general to replace former leader Syed Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in a strike in Beirut in September, the terrorist group announced on Tuesday.
For more than 30 years, Mr. Qasem has served as the terrorist organization’s deputy secretary-general and spokesperson for the organization.
In early October, the Emirati website Alam News reported, citing Iranian sources, that Qassem had moved to Iran from Lebanon due to fears of an assassination attempt by Israel.
The report claimed that Qasem had been in Tehran since October 5.
The official added that on the same day, Qasem departed from Beirut on an Iranian plane accompanied by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, headed to Damascus and from there to Tehran. Sheikh Naim Qasem speaks at a rally in support of Palestinians in Gaza amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in Beirut, Lebanon, October 13, 2023. (Credit: Reuters/Zora・Bensemura/File Photo)
Nasrallah’s potential successor, Safiddin, is killed by the IDF.
Last week, the Israel Defense Forces admitted to killing Nasrallah’s potential successor, Hashem Saffieddin, in early October.
On September 27, the IDF attacked Hezbollah’s underground headquarters in central Beirut, killing Nasrallah.
Immediately after Hezbollah’s announcement on Tuesday, multiple rocket sirens rang out across northern Israel.
Reuters contributed to this report.
