New Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem says open to truce with Israel if terms 'suitable'

The cleric had long been the group’s second-in-command, serving as deputy chief to the late Nasrallah

Hezbollah's new leader, Naim Qassem,  on Wednesday  said that the Lebanese militant group could agree to a ceasefire under specific conditions, as Israeli forces escalated their bombardment of Hezbollah strongholds. This development comes amid discussions within Israel's security cabinet regarding potential terms for a truce.

On Tuesday, Hezbollah elected its deputy secretary general Naim Qassem to succeed slain head Hassan Nasrallah. Considered one of the foundational religious scholars of the Lebanese group, Qassem, according to AlJazeera, oversaw part of Hezbollah’s educational network and has also been involved in overseeing its parliamentary activities. Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike on the southern edges of Beirut last month.

. He is one of the few leaders of the Iran-backed group to survive Israel’s recent onslaught on the organization, which saw some of its key figures assassinated.

Qassem, expressed Hezbollah's readiness to resist Israeli military actions for an extended period. However, he acknowledged the possibility of a negotiated ceasefire if Israel presents a credible offer. "If the Israelis decide that they want to stop the aggression, we say we accept, but under the conditions that we see as appropriate and suitable," he remarked during an interview with Al-Jadeed.

Israeli forces have intensified operations, targeting the eastern city of Baalbek, which is known as a Hezbollah stronghold. Recent Israeli airstrikes reportedly killed a senior Hezbollah commander and caused significant casualties, with Lebanon's health ministry reporting at least 19 deaths in Baalbek alone.

Israel said that Naim Qassem's appointment may be the shortest in Hezbollah's history "if he follows in the footsteps of his predecessors". Hezbollah had earlier confirmed the death of Hashem Safieddine, who was also believed to be Hassan Nasrallah's potential successor.

The Israeli government emphasised its stance that the only solution for Lebanon is the dismantling of Hezbollah as a military force. "There is no solution in Lebanon except to dismantle this organisation," it declared.