Naim Qassem has remained Hezbollah’s secretary-general since his October 2024 election following Hassan Nasrallah’s assassination and the subsequent killing of designated successor Hashem Safieddine. Recent speeches in early October 2026 show him addressing reconstruction, Lebanese state monopoly on arms without external dictates, and insistence on Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon under Resolution 1701. Reports from September and October 2026 highlight ongoing internal adjustments, with decision-making described as more collective and Qassem exercising narrower authority than his predecessor amid heavy Iranian involvement in military restructuring. Lebanese government and U.S. pressure on disarmament, combined with Hezbollah’s post-2024 recovery efforts, represent the main external variables that could affect leadership stability, though no verified moves toward replacement have occurred.