Israeli foreign minister threatens new Hezbollah leader with fate of predecessor

By Khaled Yousef

JERUSALEM (AA) - Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz issued a threat Wednesday to Hezbollah's new chief Naim Qassem that he would meet the same fate as his predecessor, Hassan Nasrallah, whom Israel assassinated Sept. 27 in an airstrike.

Katz responded to Qassem's first official speech, where the Hezbollah leader pledged to continue Nasrallah's path of resistance. Katz vowed on X that Israel “will make sure” of Qassem’s demise “soon.”​​​​​​​

In his first speech Wednesday, Qassem described the conflict as a “global war” against resistance forces beyond Lebanon and Gaza, asserting that the Lebanese group would only agree to a cease-fire on its terms, beginning with an immediate cessation of hostilities and indirect negotiations.

Qassem’s appointment was announced Tuesday, following Nasrallah’s assassination in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburbs. His speech reiterated Hezbollah’s commitment to resisting regional aggression, describing the situation as part of a broader international struggle.

US envoys are expected to arrive Thursday in Israel to discuss a potential cease-fire with Lebanon, according to Israeli media.

The diplomatic effort, promoted by Washington, follows similar attempts to broker peace in the Gaza Strip, though those efforts have yet yielded results and hostilities on both fronts have intensified.

Israel launched a massive air campaign last month in Lebanon against what it claims are Hezbollah targets in an escalation in a year of cross-border warfare between Israel and the group since the start of Israel’s brutal offensive on Gaza.

More than 2,800 people have been killed and nearly 12,900 injured in Israeli attacks since last October, according to Lebanese health authorities.

Israel expanded the conflict by launching an incursion into southern Lebanon on Oct. 1.