Hezbollah deputy leader vows to fight on against Israel after Nasrallah’s death

Hezbollah’s deputy leader has vowed to continue fighting Israel and said the militant group was prepared for a long war after much of its top command was wiped out, including its leader, Hassan Nasrallah.

In his first speech since Nasrallah was killed, Naim Kassem said in a televised statement on Monday that if Israel decides to launch a ground offensive, Hezbollah fighters are ready to fight and defend Lebanon, where the group is based.

As deputy secretary general, Naim Kassem is now the acting leader of Hezbollah until the group’s leadership elects a replacement for Nasrallah.

Kassem said that “Israel was not able to affect our (military) capabilities”, adding: “There are deputy commanders and there are replacements in case a commander is wounded in any post.”

He said Hezbollah would “select a new secretary general for the party at the earliest opportunity”, in a speech broadcast by the group’s Al-Manar channel.