Who is Naim Qassem? Hezbollah's new leader to replace Hassan Nasrallah

Naim Qassem has assumed command of Hezbollah following the killing of predecessor Hassan Nasrallah. (Image: Getty)

Naim Qassem has been announced as the new head of Hezbollah following the assassination of his predecessor, Hassan Nasrallah, by Israel.

Qassem, 71, had been deputy leader under Nasrallah and was unveiled as the new secretary-general on Tuesday.

Hezbollah is a paramilitary group and political party that controls the most powerful armed force in Lebanon. It's backed by Iran and is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by nations including the UK, and the US.

The group has been attacking Israel in solidarity with the terror group Hamas, the de facto governing body in Gaza, since Israel began its invasion of the enclave.

Israel began its operation in Gaza in the wake of Hamas' October 7 terrorist attack in Israel that left some 1,200 dead, with hundreds more taken hostage.

Naim Qassem has become the leader of Hezbollah. (Image: Getty)

Over 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in the Israeli invasion that followed, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, and fighting has continued between Israel, Iran and its proxies - which includes Hezbollah, Hamas and Yemen's Houthis - in the months since.

Qassem's powerful predecessor, Nasrallah, who led Hezbollah for over two decades, was killed when Israel struck his bunker in the southern suburbs of Beirut on September 27.

Hashem Safieddine, Nasrallah's cousin and a figure seen as his heir apparent, was also killed soon after in another strike in Beirut, and fears have been swirling of a power vacuum at the top of the group.

According to Al Jazeera, Qassem has often been described as Hezbollah’s “number two” and is among the religious scholars who founded the group in the early 1980s.

Qassem had been serving as acting leader since the killing of Nasrallah (pictured). (Image: Getty)

When Nasrallah began keeping a low profile following Hezbollah's war with Israel in 2006, Qassem maintained a public profile and made televised addresses following his former leader's assassination.

Hezbollah said in a statement that Qassem, who had been serving as acting leader in the wake of Nasrallah's death, was elected by its governing Shura Council as the new head of the organisation because of his “adherence to the principles and goals of Hezbollah”, as per Al Jazeera.

The group added that it would “[ask] God Almighty to guide him in this noble mission of leading Hezbollah and its Islamic resistance”.

Shortly after Qassem's promotion was announced, Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant posted on X saying: “Temporary appointment. Not for long,” in a clear threat that Israel will go after him as they have other top Hezbollah figures in recent months.