Hezbollah Leader’s Killing Escalates War With Israel

LEBANON – Hezbollah’s Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem says the group would appoint a new leader at the earliest opportunity to replace Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and vowed that the Iran-backed movement would continue fighting Israel.

Qassem’s 19-minute, televised address marked the first by a top Hezbollah leader since Nasrallah was killed on Friday in an Israeli airstrike, in a huge blow to the group as it reels from an escalating Israeli campaign of attacks.

Qassem said Hezbollah’s fighters had continued to fire rockets as deep as 93 miles into Israeli territory, and were ready to face any possible Israeli ground incursion.