According to sources in Lebanon, Hizbullah is currently governed by a temporary “collective leadership” following the assassination of its Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah by Israel.
The organization has yet to choose a successor, as the leadership is wary of further Israeli attacks.
Iran is expected to play a major role in selecting the next leader, but Iran’s advisor in Beirut, Brig. Gen. Esmail Qa’ani has been missing after an Israeli attack on Hizbullah’s Dahye stronghold on October 4, 2024. The Israeli strike was directed against Hizbullah official Hashem Safi al-Din who was a potential successor to Nasrallah. Iran claims that Qa’ani is safe and well.
The timing of the election for a new Secretary-General remains uncertain, with Hizbullah’s top figures reluctant to assume the position due to the potential threat of being targeted by Israel.
Hizbullah Leadership
Hizbullah in Shock After Nasrallah’s Assassination
Sources report that Hizbullah remains deeply shaken by the assassination of Nasrallah and his senior military commanders in an Israeli operation.
Compounding the shock are continued Israeli strikes, including an attempt to eliminate Hashem Safi al-Din, the head of Hizbullah’s Executive Council and a relative of Nasrallah, who was expected to succeed him.
While Israeli intelligence suggests Safi al-Din was killed in an airstrike on Hizbullah’s intelligence headquarters in Beirut on October 3, neither Israel nor Hizbullah has officially confirmed his death.
Fleeing to Yemen?
Sources in Yemen report that senior Hizbullah leaders in Lebanon and Syria are contemplating relocating to Yemen to join the Houthis, fearing that staying in Lebanon leaves them vulnerable to Israeli attacks.
These officials believe the IDF will continue targeting them as part of its broader effort to dismantle Hizbullah’s military infrastructure.
Resistance to Assuming Leadership Positions
Ebrahim al-Sayed, head of Hizbullah’s Political Council and considered the third-ranking official within the organization, has refused the position of Secretary-General. He reportedly fears for his life and has expressed a desire to pursue religious studies in Iran instead.
The newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported on October 6, 2024, that Hizbullah has decided to delay the appointment of a new Secretary-General, opting instead for the current “collective leadership” structure due to ongoing Israeli assassinations of its senior members.
Israel’s Ongoing Campaign Against Hizbullah
Israel continues to target Hizbullah’s leaders, military commanders, and missile arsenals, while simultaneously conducting ground operations in southern Lebanon aimed at destroying the group’s terrorist infrastructure near the Israeli border.
Israeli success is attributed to precise intelligence and deep infiltration into Hizbullah’s upper ranks.
A Leadership Void
Hizbullah is struggling to fill the leadership void left by Nasrallah’s death. According to Lebanese political sources, the group is currently being led by a “collective leadership” or “advisory council,” likely composed of members of Hizbullah’s Shura Council.
This supreme council oversees five key bodies: the Executive Council, Legal Council, Parliamentary Council, Political Council, and Jihad Council.
The Shura Council members include:
- Sheikh Naim Qassem, Hizbullah’s Deputy Secretary General;
- Mohammed Ra’ad, head of Hizbullah’s parliamentary faction;
- Mohammed Yazbek, head of the Sharia Council;
- Hussein Khalil, Nasrallah’s political advisor
Senior Israeli security officials believe these leaders are also at risk of assassination.
Iran’s Influence and Future Changes
This leadership structure will remain in place until Hizbullah’s Central Council can elect a new secretary-general.
Iran plays a significant role in determining the eventual successor, but the question remains as to who will survive the wave of Israeli assassinations.
According to Israeli security sources, the Iranian leadership is frustrated with Hizbullah’s conduct in the ongoing conflict with Israel, particularly the extent of Israeli intelligence infiltration.
Tehran is reportedly planning major changes in Hizbullah’s leadership when the time is right.
