Who is Hezbollah's New Leader, Naim Qassem?

Hezbollah, the secretive Lebanese organization, has appointed a new leader.

Hezbollah’s deputy leader, Sheikh Naim Qassem, has been appointed as the organization’s new head. Here, he is pictured speaking to AP in Beirut’s southern suburbs on July 2, 2024 [Bilal Hussein/AP Photo].

Hezbollah’s longtime deputy to the late Hassan Nasrallah—who was assassinated by Israel on September 27—is now the group’s new secretary-general. Hezbollah announced his appointment on Tuesday through its Telegram channel.

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Who is Naim Qassem?

Naim Qassem, a key figure in Shia political activism, has served as Hezbollah's deputy secretary-general since 1991. This role began under Abbas al-Musawi, the former secretary-general who was later assassinated by Israel in 1992. According to Nicholas Blanford, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, Qassem had aspirations to become secretary-general after al-Musawi's death. Born in the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Kila in Nabatieh governorate—a region frequently targeted by Israeli attacks—Qassem has longstanding roots in Shia religious and political circles. He was mentored by the influential Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah and has taught religious studies in Beirut for decades.

Early Involvement and Shift to Hezbollah

Qassem's early activism began in the 1970s with Imam Musa al-Sadr's Movement of the Dispossessed, which later became part of Lebanon's Amal Movement. However, he eventually left Amal to co-found Hezbollah in 1982, becoming one of its foundational clerics.

Role and Influence in Hezbollah

Though Hezbollah operates with significant secrecy, Qassem's influence is well-known. He has overseen elements of Hezbollah's educational network, managed aspects of its parliamentary involvement, and has been a significant public voice for the group over the years. A member of Hezbollah's Shura Council, he also authored the book Hizbullah, the Story from Within in 2005, which has been translated into multiple languages.

Hezbollah’s new leader, Sheikh Naim Qassem, speaks at a rally supporting Palestinians in Gaza on October 13, 2023 [Zohra Bensemra/Reuters].

A New Leader Amidst Turmoil

Following the assassination of Hezbollah's leader Hassan Nasrallah, Qassem emerged as the Shura Council’s choice for the new secretary-general, a decision made during an ongoing Israeli-Lebanese conflict. Wearing a white turban, in contrast to the black turbans of Nasrallah and Safieddine that denote prophetic lineage, Qassem brings a different public image but remains a familiar figure within Hezbollah. His appointment was seen as a move for continuity rather than change.