The Israeli military claimed on Thursday that it had killed Naim Qassem, secretary-general of the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, in an overnight airstrike on Beirut. Hezbollah has not confirmed Qassem's death.
Qassem, 72, became Hezbollah's leader in October 2024 following the Israeli assassination of his predecessor, Hassan Nasrallah. A founding member of Hezbollah who had served as deputy secretary-general for over three decades, Qassem was elected to lead the group after most of its senior leadership had been killed in Israeli strikes.
Israel had openly declared Qassem a target. Defence Minister Israel Katz said in early March that Qassem would "discover that whoever follows Khamenei's path ends up like Khamenei, in the depths of hell." The threat came after Hezbollah re-entered the conflict against Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
The Israeli Air Force carried out its largest wave of strikes yet against Hezbollah on Wednesday, hours after a two-week ceasefire between Israel and Iran came into effect. Israel has insisted that the Iran truce does not cover Lebanon, a position Donald Trump endorsed, while Pakistan and Iran have argued otherwise. Spain said Israel had flouted the ceasefire agreement and violated international law, while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned any breach of the ceasefire.
Earlier on Wednesday, the IDF announced that it had killed Qassem's nephew and personal secretary, Ali Yusuf Harshi, described as a close associate who played a central role in managing and securing Qassem's office.
Politis will update this report as further information becomes available.
Sources: Haaretz, Times of Israel