Hezbollah Announces 71-Year-Old Naim Kassem as its Leader

Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shia militia, has officially announced Naim Kassem, 71, as its new leader.

This change comes in the wake of the assassination of long-time leader Hassan Nasrallah and his anticipated successor, Hashem Safieddine, by Israeli forces.

Naim Kassem is a prominent figure within Hezbollah, having served as Deputy Secretary General for the past 33 years. He was appointed to this role during the leadership of Abbas Mousavi, who was assassinated in 1992, after which Nasrallah took over. Kassem hails from Beirut, originating from a family that migrated from the southern Lebanese village of Fila, a significant area for the Shiite community.

Kassem began his academic journey in 1970 at the Faculty of Education at the University of Lebanon, where he focused on chemistry and French, becoming fluent in the language. At just 18, he started preaching in mosques, marking the beginning of his political involvement in 1974 with the Amal Movement, prior to the establishment of Hezbollah. Within Hezbollah, he held the role of Deputy Director of the Culture Department.

The Lebanese Civil War broke out in 1975, during which Kassem remained with Amal until 1980. Influenced by the Islamic Revolution in Iran, he then left Amal to co-found Hezbollah in 1982 with the support of Iran.

Despite lacking significant military experience, Kassem is recognized as a religious and media figure. In a June interview with Al Jazeera, he stated that Hezbollah does not intend to expand its military operations. His comments emphasized the organization's strategy of maintaining a connection between the conflict in Lebanon and developments in Gaza, a position articulated before the recent leadership assassinations that have left Hezbollah's political and military framework severely weakened.

Kassem is also an author, having published a book titled "Hezbollah: The Inside Story" in 2002, which outlines the organization's history and development.