In recent weeks, attention in Israel, Lebanon, and the world has been drawn to the speeches delivered by Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, in an attempt to understand how he might act on the Lebanese front.
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However, alongside Nasrallah, who has only appeared in pre-planned official speeches during the war in Gaza, Hezbollah has several other senior figures who speak almost daily at ceremonies commemorating the terror organization's casualties, providing insights into the possible next steps Hezbollah may take on the northern border.
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Talal Hamiyah, Mohammad Yazbek, Naim Qassem, Hashim Safi al-Din
(Photo: Hussein Malla, AP, ANWAR AMRO | AFP, Arab media)
Hashim Safi al-Din: Hashim Safi al-Din is the head of Hezbollah’s operational committee and Nasrallah’s relative. He’s considered by many in the organization to be its deputy chief. al-Din is responsible for overseeing the party’s social and economic activities, and since Hezbollah began releasing the names of the operatives killed in action, he has participated in many ceremonies held in their memory.
On Sunday, at a memorial ceremony held in southern Lebanon, al-Din stated that Hezbollah’s attack on an IDF base near Mount Meron was carried out against the Israeli Air Force, which allegedly carried out an airstrike in Beirut that eliminated Hamas deputy head Saleh al-Arouri.
In his speech, al-Din clarified the attack was only an initial response to al-Arouri’s death. During the speech, he addressed Israel, saying, "There are no bases hidden from the resistance’s missile launchers and their capabilities. All sites in Israel are within the range of resistance’s rockets, and they are all targets that Hezbollah can reach."
Naim Qassem: Qassem serves as the Deputy Secretary-General of Hezbollah and is considered a significant and influential figure in the organization, especially in terms of statements he made during the ongoing war.
Last week, he addressed clashes between Hezbollah and Israel on the northern border, saying that Israel can’t impose its decision, and that it "must first stop the war in the Gaza Strip in order to halt the war in Lebanon" – a message he reiterated in numerous speeches following Hamas’ October 7 attack.
Mohammad Yazbek: Yazbek is the head of Hezbollah's religious council and is considered an influential figure in the terrorist organization and one of Nasrallah's confidants. Yazbek is considered to be one Hezbollah’s founders. In a speech he gave at the end of December, he said, "The resistance is hurting Israel in Gaza and Lebanon, and no amount of pressure will dissuade it from acting."
Talal Hamiyah: According to reports, Hamiyah is responsible for oversees Hezbollah's terror cells across the globe and has a key position in planning, coordinating, and carrying out terrorism outside Lebanon. Hamiyah has been linked to numerous terror attacks, and has been previously designated as a wanted terrorist by the United States.