Who Is Poised to Succeed Nasrallah as Hezbollah Leader

Two prominent figures are being considered as possible successors to Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah—Hashem Safieddine and Naim Qassem.

**BEIRUT:** Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah's long-serving leader, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut, creating a leadership vacuum within the group, which has been weakened by a series of targeted Israeli assassinations. Nasrallah, who became Hezbollah’s secretary-general in 1992 at the age of 35, led the group for most of its existence.

Two figures are now being considered to succeed Nasrallah—Hashem Safieddine and Naim Qassem. Here’s a look at both candidates:

**Hashem Safieddine**  

A close relative of Nasrallah, Hashem Safieddine is seen as a strong contender to replace him. Safieddine, in his late 50s or early 60s, has deep religious and familial connections with Iran, Hezbollah’s main ally. He is also Nasrallah’s maternal cousin, bearing a physical resemblance to the late leader. Safieddine, who sits on Hezbollah's powerful Shura Council, is viewed by insiders as the "most likely" successor.

In 2017, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia designated Safieddine as a "terrorist," with the U.S. Treasury calling him a senior leader and key decision-maker within Hezbollah. Safieddine has maintained strong ties with Iran, having studied religiously in Qom. His son is married to the daughter of the late Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, who led Iran’s Revolutionary Guards’ foreign operations until his assassination in 2020.

Though Nasrallah lived in hiding, Safieddine has made more public appearances at political and religious events in recent years.

**Naim Qassem**  

Naim Qassem, Hezbollah’s current deputy secretary-general, is another leading candidate. At 71, Qassem is one of the group’s founding members, having helped establish Hezbollah in the early 1980s. Known as a religious scholar, Qassem has taught for decades in Beirut and oversaw educational and parliamentary activities for Hezbollah’s fighters.

In 1991, Qassem was appointed deputy secretary-general by the group’s co-founder and then-leader, Abbas al-Musawi. Following Nasrallah's death, Qassem will temporarily assume leadership, but Hezbollah’s Shura Council will ultimately elect the next secretary-general.