Israel warns new Hezbollah leader after a spate of killings

Israel’s Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, issued a serious warning to Hezbollah after Naeem Qassem was named the new leader of the soldier group. Gallant posted on social media platform X, along with a picture of Qassem, saying, “The appointment is temporary. The countdown has begun.”

This warning follows the martyrdom of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was martyred by Israeli forces in Beirut last month. Qassem now faces immediate dangers as the Israeli military works to weaken Hezbollah’s leadership.

The situation worsened with the death of Hashem Safieddine, who many believed could be Nasrallah’s successor. He was martyred in an Israeli airstrike just two weeks after Nasrallah. Israel’s military strategy aims to destabilise Hezbollah during these ongoing regional tensions.