Hezbollah on Tuesday named Naim Qassem as the new head of the terror group after the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah in September. He was deputy secretary-general under Nasrallah since 1991.
"Based on the faith in Allah, our commitment to Islam and our dedication to its principles and purposes, Hezbollah, in accordance with its established mechanism, approves Naim Qassem at secretary-general," the terror group said in a statement.
"We are committed to working together to achieve Hezbollah's aims and to preserve the flames of resistance and our flag held high until victory is achieved."
Qassem was named as the new chief of the terror group after Nasrallah who served in the role for the past 32 years was assassinated in a targeted attack on his bunker in Beirut's Dahieh quarter along with other senior members, including the commander of South Lebanon, Ali Karaki.
Israel also assassinated Hashem Safieddine, who was designated to succeed Nasrallah in a strike earlier in October. His death was confirmed by the terror group last week, three weeks after the IDF's targeted attack.
Qassem who had been speaking publicly for Hezbollah even before Nasrallah's killing, said in a speech earlier this month that a cease-fire agreement could be reached apart from the war in Gaza. "The solution is a cease-fire. Not from a position of weakness," he said. "We are no longer supporting Gaza and are now in war with Israel."
Israeli strike on Beirut's Dahieh in September
He said that since Israel was attacking all parts of Lebanon, the terror group had the right to target Tel Aviv, Haifa and beyond, as Nasrallah had wanted.
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