On Friday, Israeli airstrikes outside Beirut killed Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which Israel has been targeting with a massive bombing campaign that has killed more than 1,000 people in Lebanon in the past two weeks. Hezbollah’s acting leader, Naim Kassem, said earlier today in a televised address that the group is prepared for a long fight against Israel. (AP)
Our Take
Kassem’s address to the group’s followers and the Lebanese people more broadly was meant to project an image of calm and order, despite Hezbollah losing not only Nasrallah, who had led the group since 1992, but also numerous other top commanders and officials over the past few months. He said the group has already replaced the other officials and set the stage for a measured selection of a new leader to replace Nasrallah.
Still, Israel’s current campaign has clearly caught Hezbollah’s leadership off guard and thrown it off balance. The intensity and extent of the airstrikes have caused extraordinary damage in Lebanon already, including to Hezbollah’s arsenal, leaving the group so far paralyzed in response. The fact that Kassem’s address was televised without a public audience, unlike most of Nasrallah’s speeches, suggests that the group’s leadership is rattled.