Temporary appointment, reacts Israel's Defence Minister after Naim Qassem named as Hezbollah's new secretary general

Hezbollah group has named Naim Qassem as its new secretary-general, days after Hassan Nasrallah was eliminated by Israel, media reports said.

Hezbollah’s Senior Council said the decision was made in accordance with its process for selecting leadership. Qassem is committed to prophet “Mohammed’s authentic Islam” and the core principles of Hezbollah, the group's media statement said as quoted by CNN.

Previously, he was the group's second in command.

Hassan Nasrallah, the chief of Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and military-resistance organization Hezbollah, was killed in a strike launched on Beirut by the Israeli military, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed late last month.

Israel's Defence Minister Yoav Gallant reacted to the appointment of  Naim Qassem and posted on X: "Temporary appointment. Not for long."

In recent weeks, Israel has carried out several attacks against Hezbollah's operatives,weapons and infrastructures.

According to reports, Israel carried out air strikes in Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley on Monday.

The region is known as a strong Hezbollah stronghold.

The Lebanese health ministry said at least 60 people were killed and more than 50 wounded, reported BBC.

Israel has not commented on the attack so far.