Tehran, Iran

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According to reports, Hezbollah’s Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem has fled from Lebanon and has gone into hiding in Tehran.

The report of Qassem fleeing Lebanon came at a time when Israel's military operations against Hezbollah intensified and led to the killing of some of the major leaders of the organisation, which included its chief, Hassan Nasrallah.

As per a report published in UAE-based Erem News, Qassem boarded an Iranian aircraft and left Lebanon a week ago.

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He was on the same plane that Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was aboard after orders were issued from the Islamic Republic's leadership amid rising concern for his safety.

Also Read: Israeli strikes on northern Gaza kill at least 87 as Beirut attack continues

After Nasrallah's death, Qassem delivered three speeches, two from Beirut, while the third was recorded in Tehran.

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"His transfer was ordered by top leaders of the Islamic Republic for fear of assassination by the Israel government," a source was quoted as saying in the report.

As per the report, Qassem was on the Israeli government's wanted list.

In its ongoing war against Hezbollah, Israel has eliminated many high-ranking members of the militant group, which includes:

  • Fuad Shukr: Founding member of Hezbollah
  • Hassan Nasrallah: Hezbollah chief
  • Ali Karaki: Hezbollah’s top commander
  • Nabil Kaouk: Deputy head of the central council
  • Mohammed Srur: Head of the drone unit
  • Ibrahim Qubaisi: Head of the missile unit
  • Ibrahim Aqil: Hezbollah’s operations commander
  • Mohammed Nasser: Hezbollah’s senior commander

Who is Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem?

Naim Qassem is the deputy secretary general of Hezbollah. Recently, Qassem said that conflict in Lebanon could be brought to a halt only through a ceasefire.

Qassem had further threatened that the terror group would expand its missile strikes in Israel.

After the death of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and the reported killing of Hashem Safieddine, Naim Qassem became the top official of Hezbollah.

As per Reuters, Qassem said that he supported the efforts of Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri to reach a truce, without mention of any precondition.

Watch: Israel-Hezbollah: How Hezbollah's Drone Attacks Confuse Israeli Air Defences

For the first time, Hezbollah did not mention the end of the Gaza war as a pre-condition to reach a truce in Lebanon.

"We support the political efforts that [Lebanese Parliament Speaker] Nabih Berri is undertaking towards a ceasefire," said Qassem, in a televised speech.

"Since the Israeli enemy targeted all of Lebanon, we have the right from a defensive position to target any place" in Israel, "whether the centre, the north or the south", he was quoted as saying by news agency AFP.

"I am telling the Israeli home front: the solution is a ceasefire... the resistance [Hezbollah] will not be defeated because this is its land," added the Hezbollah leader.

(With inputs from agencies)