Defense Minister Yoav Gallant responded to the appointment today (Tuesday) of Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem as official head of Hezbollah on X, saying that it is a "temporary appointment" and that "the countdown has begun," implying he is targeted for elimination.
Israel has taken a consistent and aggressive approach to eliminating Hezbollah leaders since the summer, eliminating most of Hezbollah's veteran military leadership in targeted strikes, and culminating not only with the elimination of Hassan Nasrallah, but also his intended successor Hashem Safieddine.
The IDF also continues to degrade and destroy Hezbollah forces along the border, recently entering into the town of Al-Khiam.
The IDF has also been busy destroying Hezbollah command centers and tunnels, including those containing weapons caches, along the border.
