Hezbollah's new leader says to continue his predecessor's war strategy

BEIRUT: Hezbollah's new leader Sheikh Naim Qassem said on Wednesday he will continue the war strategy adopted by his predecessor Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah by supporting the Gaza front, Lebanese TV channel al-Manar reported.

"My work programme is a continuation of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's program in all fields, political, jihadist, social, and cultural," Qassem said in his first televised speech following his appointment as the new Secretary-General of Hezbollah.

Qassem emphasised that supporting Gaza is essential to confront the threat posed by Israel in the region.

"You will certainly be defeated because this is our land. Get out of our lands; if you stay, you will pay a heavy price," he said, addressing the Israelis.

Qassem also said that Iran has been supporting Hezbollah without any hidden intentions.

"We are liberating Lebanese land when we fight Israel with Lebanese men on our borders; Iran is not using us to fight Israel as some people were saying," he said, Xinhua news agency reported.

While acknowledging that Hezbollah was impacted by the assassination of Nasrallah, Qassem reiterated that the group is capable of filling all vacant positions.

Since September 23, the Israeli army has been conducting an unprecedented and intensive air campaign against Lebanon, marking a dangerous escalation with Hezbollah.

Since October 8, 2023, Hezbollah and the Israeli army have been exchanging fire across the Lebanese-Israeli border amid concerns of a broader conflict, as the war between Hamas and Israel continues in the Gaza Strip.