Media reports Hezbollah naming new chief
Date
10/30/2024 8:39:47 AM
(MENAFN) Hezbollah has officially named sheikh Naim Qassem as its new leader, according to reports from Al Jazeera and Al-Arabiya. This announcement comes in the wake of significant losses for the group, including the deaths of its previous leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and a potential successor, both reportedly killed in Israeli airstrikes.
Qassem, who has been a longstanding deputy to Nasrallah, had been serving as acting leader since the latter’s death. Hezbollah stated that Qassem was chosen for his strong commitment to the organization’s principles and objectives. At 71 years old, Qassem is considered a pivotal figure within Hezbollah, having been one of the religious scholars who helped establish the group in the early 1980s.
Earlier this month, Qassem expressed that Hezbollah's armed wing is open to pursuing a ceasefire with Israel, indicating a potential shift in the group's approach amid ongoing hostilities. Tensions have remained high between Israel and Hezbollah, particularly since the Israeli military launched operations in Gaza in response to a surprise attack by Hamas on October 7 of the previous year.
Since then, Israeli forces have conducted a series of military operations against Hezbollah, notably Operation Northern Arrows, which targeted the group's positions in southern Lebanon. In these recent escalations, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Foreign Ministry have claimed to have “eliminated” many of Hezbollah’s senior military leaders through targeted airstrikes.
As Hezbollah navigates this leadership transition amidst external pressures, the implications for regional stability and the group’s future strategies remain to be seen.
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