New Hezbollah chief vows to continue 'war program' against Israel

(JNS) — In his first speech since being appointed Hezbollah leader earlier this week, Naim Qassem on Wednesday vowed to continue the path of his slain predecessor Hassan Nasrallah.

“What is my plan? A continuation of my predecessor’s. We will carry on with the war program as it has been outlined so far,” Qassem said in the televised speech, according to a translation by Lebanon’s L’Orient Le Jour daily.

Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli strike on Sept. 27 after heading the Iranian-backed terrorist group for more than 30 years, remains “the symbol of the resistance and the beloved of resistance fighters,” he said.

Qassem in his address also paid tribute to the slain head of Hezbollah’s executive council, Hashem Safieddine, as well as Palestinian Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who he said had “resisted until his last breath.”

The newly minted Lebanese terrorist leader also thanked Hezbollah “for placing its trust in me for this heavy responsibility.”

During Qassem’s speech, Israeli Air Force jets began attacking targets in the Baalbek region of northern Lebanon, several hours after issuing an evacuation warning to residents of the area, according to local reports.

According to the terrorist, the region is facing an “American, European and global war aimed at ending resistance and our peoples.” He said that supporting Gaza was “essential to confront the Israeli threat to the entire region, and because the people of Gaza needed to be supported.”

He went on to state that, “Iran supports us in our project and asks for nothing in return.

Qassem, who had served as deputy secretary general of Hezbollah since 1991, was elected its new leader on Tuesday. 

According to a recent report in the UAE-based Erem News, quoting an Iranian source, Qassem left Beirut on Oct. 5 for Damascus, before flying to Tehran. He was reportedly aboard the plane used by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi for a state visit to Lebanon and Syria.

“The transfer of Naim Qassem to Tehran was by order of the higher authorities in Iran for fear of being assassinated by the Israeli entity, because he is on the list of wanted,” the Iranian source said.

The first address Qassem delivered after Nasrallah’s assassination was delivered in Beirut, while the second and third speeches were delivered from the Islamic Republic, according to the source.

Commenting on Qassem’s new role, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant tweeted on Tuesday, “Temporary appointment. Not for long.”