New Hezbollah leader Naim Kasem vows to continue fight
Naim Kasem has been appointed the new leader of the Lebanese terrorist organization Hezbollah, replacing the late Hassan Nasrallah. The former leader was killed at the end of September in an Israeli attack in Beirut.
According to the Polish Press Agency, Naim Kasem, previously the deputy secretary general, has taken over leadership of the Iran-supported Shiite organization. He has served as the second-in-command in Hezbollah since 1991, following the assassination of Abbas al-Musawi by the Israeli army.
As reported by Reuters, the initially presumed successor to Nasrallah was Hashem Safieddine. He was also eliminated by the Israeli armed forces, with Hezbollah confirming his death on October 23 of this year.
Born in 1953 in Beirut, Kasem began his political career at a young age. Reuters notes that he became fully engaged in political activities following the Islamic revolution in Iran in 1979. He participated in meetings that led to the formation of Hezbollah as Iran's response to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982.
Kasem also served as Hezbollah's spokesperson and conducted numerous interviews with Western media. After Nasrallah's death on October 8, he stated on behalf of the organization, declaring that Hezbollah would not cease its fight against Israel and would soon select a new leader.
Kassem is reportedly in Tehran. He is said to have left Lebanon on a plane belonging to the Iranian Foreign Minister.
Regular exchange of fire in Lebanon
For over a year, Hezbollah has been regularly shelling northern Israel, showing solidarity with Palestinian Hamas. This activity is part of the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip. The attacks have been met with strong counterattacks from Israel. As a result of the shelling, dozens of people have been killed, and around 60,000 residents have been evacuated and have yet to return to their homes.
In early September, Israel increased its attacks on Hezbollah targets. A coordinated attack on the organization's communication facilities, reportedly carried out by Israeli services, occurred at that time. Since the beginning of October, Israeli forces have also been conducting a ground offensive in southern Lebanon. According to the media and Lebanese authorities, the over-a-month-long escalation of the conflict has forced about 1.2 million residents of Lebanon to flee.
The Israeli army reports that over the past year, more than 2,000 Hezbollah militants have been eliminated, including nearly all senior commanders and a significant portion of the group's combat potential has been destroyed. Despite this, the exchange of fire continues, and there is little indication that the situation in this part of the world will improve soon.
