Hezbollah appoints new leader

Hezbollah has named the group's deputy secretary-general, Sheikh Naim Qassem, the new leader.

He will succeed Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in Beirut in an Israeli air strike in September, broadcast Telegrafi.

Qasssem has been Hezbollah's acting leader since Nasrallah's death.

Who is Sheikh Naim Qasssem?

Born in 1953 in Beirut, Qasssem has been a high figure in Hezbollah for over 30 years.

He was appointed deputy chief in 1991 and remained in his post when Hassan Nasrallah became leader a year later.

Qasssem was the first member of Hezbollah's top leadership, who made TV comments after Nasrallah was killed last month.

He said Hezbollah would choose a successor to the murdered leader “in the first case”, and would continue to fight Israel in solidarity with Palestinians.

This month, he said that the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel was a struggle over who first cries and Hezbollah would not be the first to cry.