The new leader of Hezbollah, Naim Kassem, is known for his ties to Iran and active struggle with Israel.

The terrorist group Hezbollah has elected Naim Kassem, who has been the organization's deputy leader since 1991, as its new secretary general. He took over leadership of Hezbollah after Israel killed Hassan Nasrallah in an attack on Beirut on September 27.

Kassem, according to The Times of Israel, does not have the same charisma and authority as Nasrallah, but he was Hezbollah's leading representative in Lebanon. Another possible Nasrallah heir, Hashem Safi al-Din, was killed by an Israeli airstrike earlier this month before he could be officially appointed secretary general.

According to Erem News, following the assassinations of Nasrallah and Safi al-Din, Kassem left Lebanon on an Iranian plane in early October and is now believed to be living in Tehran. Born in 1953 in southern Lebanon, he was a Shiite cleric who joined Hezbollah in 1982 after fighting in the civil war and founding the Amal party.

Hezbollah is both an armed group and a political party in the Lebanese parliament, controlling most of the Shiite-majority areas in the south of the country. Kassem has participated in Hezbollah's election campaigns since 1992.

In response to Kassem's appointment, the Israeli government's official Arab account on Twitter said: “His tenure in this position could be the shortest in the history of this terrorist organization if he follows in the footsteps of his predecessors Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safi al-Din.” Government officials added that Lebanon has no choice but to “liquidate this organization as a military force.”

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant wrote on Twitter under a photo of Kassem: “Temporary appointment. Not for long.”