Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement announced on Tuesday that it has chosen Naim Qassem, a founding member and longtime official, as its new leader following the death of Hassan Nasrallah. Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s former secretary-general, was killed in an Israeli offensive that has taken out several of the group’s senior figures in recent weeks.
Qassem, 71, has served as the acting head of the group since Nasrallah’s death on September 27. The announcement, made through a statement from Hezbollah’s Shura Council, cited its established internal process for selecting a new leader.
The change in leadership comes during a critical period for the Iran-backed Shiite political and militant group. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officials announced Tuesday that their military objectives in Lebanon have been met and that the Israeli government can now pursue diplomatic channels to end the hostilities along the Lebanon-Israel border. According to the IDF, most of Hezbollah’s infrastructure near the border has been dismantled or destroyed.
Initially viewed as Nasrallah’s likely successor, senior Hezbollah official Hashem Safieddine was also killed in Israeli airstrikes a week after Nasrallah’s death.
Since taking on leadership duties, Qassem has addressed the Lebanese people in three televised speeches, including one on October 8, where he voiced support for a potential ceasefire in Lebanon.
Qassem’s background includes extensive religious and political work within Lebanon. Born in Kfar Fila, southern Lebanon, he studied chemistry at the Lebanese University and worked as a chemistry teacher while engaging in religious studies and activism. He was also involved with the Movement of the Dispossessed, a group founded by Shiite leader Imam Moussa Sadr in the 1970s that eventually evolved into the Amal movement, a significant faction in Lebanon’s civil war and now a political party.
Hezbollah was formed in 1982, shortly after Israel’s invasion of Lebanon, with support from Iran. Qassem joined its ranks early on, ascending to the role of deputy secretary-general in 1991 under Abbas Musawi, Nasrallah’s predecessor, who was killed in 1992.
While the United States considers Hezbollah a terrorist organization and has sanctioned Qassem, Hezbollah maintains substantial influence within Lebanese politics. As Qassem takes over leadership, the group faces growing pressures to navigate Lebanon’s internal challenges while managing escalating tensions with Israel.
