Following the death of long-term leader Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike, Hezbollah has
appointed Naim Qassem as the new Secretary-General of the militant group. Israel has dismissed
Qassem’s appointment as temporary and has almost certainly designated him as a tier-one target,
and reports indicate he has sought shelter in Iran.
However, the assassination of Hamas’ Haniyeh demonstrated Israel’s reach, with a further
assassination on Iranian soil likely to provoke Iran into retaliatory attacks. Early indications suggest
Qassem may seek a more cautious approach than his predecessor, potentially opening the door for a
truce with Israel.
However, there is a realistic possibility that his relocation to Iran and alleged poor leadership may
jeopardise Hezbollah’s ability to maintain cohesion within the group.