Sunday, August 24, 2025
  • Who’sWho Africa AWARDS
  • About Time Africa Magazine
  • Contact Us
Time Africa Magazine
  • Home
  • Magazine
  • WHO’SWHO AWARDS
  • News
  • World News
    • US
    • UAE
    • Europe
    • UK
    • Israel-Hamas
    • Russia-Ukraine
  • Politics
  • Crime
  • Lifestyle
  • Sports
  • Column
  • Interviews
  • Special Report
No Result
View All Result
Time Africa Magazine
  • Home
  • Magazine
  • WHO’SWHO AWARDS
  • News
  • World News
    • US
    • UAE
    • Europe
    • UK
    • Israel-Hamas
    • Russia-Ukraine
  • Politics
  • Crime
  • Lifestyle
  • Sports
  • Column
  • Interviews
  • Special Report
No Result
View All Result
Time Africa Magazine
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • WHO’SWHO AWARDS
  • News
  • Magazine
  • World News

Home » World News » Middle-East » Hezbollah Picks Naim Qassem as New Leader

Hezbollah Picks Naim Qassem as New Leader

October 29, 2024
in Middle-East
0
Hezbollah's deputy leader, Sheikh Naim Kassem, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Beirut's southern suburbs, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)

Hezbollah's deputy leader, Sheikh Naim Kassem, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Beirut's southern suburbs, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)

541
SHARES
4.5k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Lebanese militant group Hezbollah announced that Naim Qassem will become its new leader, replacing long-standing chief Hassan Nasrallah, who Israel assassinated just over a month ago.

Hezbollah’s main decision-making body, the Shura Council, agreed to make Qassem, who’s been deputy leader since 1991, the new secretary-general, the group announced on Telegram on Tuesday.

Qassem, who’s in his early 70s and used to teach chemistry, was not the obvious successor. Most analysts thought that would be Hashem Safieddine, a cousin of Nasrallah. Yet he was killed in a separate Israeli airstrike on Beirut in early October.

Qassem’s election “signals continuity rather than change for both Hezbollah and its backer Iran,” said Lina Khatib, associate fellow at Chatham House, a London-based think tank. It “sends a message of reassurance to Hezbollah’s constituents and of resilience to Hezbollah’s opponents.”

He is the most politically experienced and most publicly prominent of Hezbollah’s remaining leaders, Khatib said.

ReadAlso

What are the terms of the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire and will it succeed?

Hezbollah keeping ‘hands on trigger’ amid fragile ceasefire with Israel

Hezbollah vows to destroy the Israeli state. It began firing on Israel with missiles and drones in October last year, a day after the Israel-Hamas war erupted. It said its aim was to support Hamas in Gaza and ultimately force Israel to agree to a cease-fire there.

Both Hezbollah and Hamas are backed by Iran and designated as terrorist organizations by the US, as well as many other countries.

ADVERTISEMENT

The hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah were largely contained — even though tens of thousands of people were forced to flee on each side of the Israel-Lebanon border — until last month.

Israel then stepped up its campaign against the group, saying diplomatic efforts by Western powers had failed to stop the attacks on Israeli territory. Israel was thought to be behind an attack that saw thousands of Hezbollah members’ pagers and walkie-talkies explode. Soon after, Nasrallah was targeted and killed in Beirut, dealing a massive blow to Hezbollah, which is Iran’s most important proxy militant group.

Israel also sent ground troops into southern Lebanon to target Hezbollah’s infrastructure and weaponry. It’s trying to clear the area of Hezbollah fighters and ensure its displaced civilians can return to their homes in northern Israel.

Despite its setbacks, Hezbollah has signaled it will carry on fighting Israel and its continues to fire on the country almost every day.

Until recently, Qassem was based in Beirut. It’s unclear if he’s fled somewhere else to try to evade Israeli airstrikes.

In a recent interview, the New Yorker described Qassem as less charismatic that Nasrallah. He was “studious and dour,” an “unlikely warrior” and accused Israel of trying to wipe out Palestinians — something Israel has consistently denied — according to the magazine.

“Rather than electing a primarily military figure, in choosing Qassem, who has vast experience in dealing with international and domestic political affairs, Iran and Hezbollah are preparing themselves for the scenario when they will enter negotiations linked with the end of the ongoing war with Israel,” said Khatib. “Hezbollah needs an experienced political interlocutor at the helm.”

By Omar Tamo and Omar El Chmouri / Bloomberg

Tags: HezbollahNaim Qassem
ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

NNPC Ltd Launches Free Cancer Screening Campaign, Targets 3,000 Nigerians

Next Post

Charles Odii: A Catalyst for SME Growth in Nigeria

You MayAlso Like

Judges preside over the opening of the hearings at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, on Thursday. The United Nations' top court opens hearings Thursday into South Africa's allegation that Israel's war with Hamas amounts to genocide against Palestinians, a claim that Israel strongly denies.
Patrick Post/AP
Middle-East

Israel closes 88% of cases of alleged war crimes or abuse without charges – report

August 3, 2025
Middle-East

The Taliban are remaking Afghanistan in their image. It should have us all worried

July 25, 2025
Middle-East

Hundreds Dead From Hunger in Gaza, Including Dozens of Children

July 25, 2025
Middle-East

As Iran Deports a Million Afghans, ‘Where Do We Even Go?’

July 19, 2025
Middle-East

Iran’s Supreme Leader Threatens to Attack More U.S. Military Bases: “We Slapped America in the Face”

June 26, 2025
Middle-East

Iran vows to return 50,000 US soldiers in coffins

June 24, 2025
Next Post
SMEDAN- DG Charles Odii

Charles Odii: A Catalyst for SME Growth in Nigeria

Libya football team   - 
Copyright © africanews
cleared - @PakPassionSport

Libyan Football Federation to challenge sanctions following cancelled match against Nigeria

Discussion about this post

NYSC Member Shares Harrowing Experience with Anambra Vigilantes

Brutalized female NYSC in Anambra —Dismissals make headlines. Convictions make justice

Stripped, Beaten, Accused: NYSC Corps Members Brutalized by Anambra Vigilantes

Adaora Umeoji Means Business

The Unexplained Professorship of Stella Ngozi Lemchi, Vice-Chancellor of Alvan Ikoku Federal University

How Wike Secretly Bought $2Million U.S. Mansion In Wife, Children’s Names

  • British government apologizes to Peter Obi, as hired impostors, master manipulators on rampage abroad

    1240 shares
    Share 496 Tweet 310
  • Maids trafficked and sold to wealthy Saudis on black market

    1066 shares
    Share 426 Tweet 267
  • Flight Attendant Sees Late Husband On Plane

    971 shares
    Share 388 Tweet 243
  • ‘Céline Dion Dead 2023’: Singer killed By Internet Death Hoax

    903 shares
    Share 361 Tweet 226
  • Crisis echoes, fears grow in Amechi Awkunanaw in Enugu State

    735 shares
    Share 294 Tweet 184
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest

British government apologizes to Peter Obi, as hired impostors, master manipulators on rampage abroad

April 13, 2023

Maids trafficked and sold to wealthy Saudis on black market

December 27, 2022
Flight Attendant Sees Late Husband On Plane

Flight Attendant Sees Late Husband On Plane

September 22, 2023
‘Céline Dion Dead 2023’: Singer killed By Internet Death Hoax

‘Céline Dion Dead 2023’: Singer killed By Internet Death Hoax

March 21, 2023
Chief Mrs Ebelechukwu, wife of Willie Obiano, former governor of Anambra state

NIGERIA: No, wife of Biafran warlord, Bianca Ojukwu lied – Ebele Obiano:

0

SOUTH AFRICA: TO LEAVE OR NOT TO LEAVE?

0
kelechi iheanacho

TOP SCORER: IHEANACHA

0
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan

WHAT CAN’TBE TAKEN AWAY FROM JONATHAN

0

Tinubu’s Minister, Uche Nnaji Faces Fire Over Alleged Non-Performance In Science, Technology Sector Amid Defection Plan

August 24, 2025

Ex-DRC President Kabila Faces Death Penalty for Treason, War Crimes

August 24, 2025

NYSC Member Shares Harrowing Experience with Anambra Vigilantes

August 22, 2025

Enugu Ministry of Science and Tech Commences e-Government Capacity Building

August 22, 2025

ABOUT US

Time Africa Magazine

TIME AFRICA MAGAZINE is an African Magazine with a culture of excellence; a magazine without peer. Nearly a third of its readers hold advanced degrees and include novelists, … READ MORE >>

SECTIONS

  • Aviation
  • Column
  • Crime
  • Europe
  • Featured
  • Gallery
  • Health
  • Interviews
  • Israel-Hamas
  • Lifestyle
  • Magazine
  • Middle-East
  • News
  • Politics
  • Press Release
  • Russia-Ukraine
  • Science
  • Special Report
  • Sports
  • TV/Radio
  • UAE
  • UK
  • US
  • World News

Useful Links

  • AllAfrica
  • Channel Africa
  • El Khabar
  • The Guardian
  • Cairo Live
  • Le Republicain
  • Magazine: 9771144975608
  • Subscribe to TIME AFRICA biweekly news magazine

    Enjoy handpicked stories from around African continent,
    delivered anywhere in the world

    Subscribe

    • About Time Africa Magazine
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact Us
    • WHO’SWHO AWARDS

    © 2025 Time Africa Magazine - All Right Reserved. Time Africa is a trademark of Times Associates, registered in the U.S, & Nigeria. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service.

    No Result
    View All Result
    • WHO’SWHO AWARDS
    • Politics
    • Column
    • Interviews
    • Gallery
    • Lifestyle
    • Special Report
    • Sports
    • TV/Radio
    • Aviation
    • Health
    • Science
    • World News

    © 2025 Time Africa Magazine - All Right Reserved. Time Africa is a trademark of Times Associates, registered in the U.S, & Nigeria. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service.

    This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.