Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant issued a stark warning on Tuesday to Hezbollah’s newly appointed leader, Naim Qassem, suggesting his position may be short-lived.
“Temporary appointment. Not for long,” Gallant wrote on X, alongside a photo of Qassem, who was recently announced as the successor to the slain leader, Hassan Nasrallah. In a separate Hebrew post, Gallant hinted at imminent actions, saying “the countdown has begun.”
During a visit to Israel’s northern military command, Gallant estimated that recent Israeli strikes had reduced Hezbollah’s rocket arsenal significantly, now down to approximately 20% of its original capacity. According to Gallant, the group’s ability to launch sustained volleys has been heavily impaired.
On Tuesday, Hezbollah launched around 60 projectiles into Israel by mid-afternoon, bringing daily figures over recent weeks to as high as 200 projectiles in some instances. In response, Israel has conducted numerous airstrikes on Hezbollah’s weapons production and storage sites across Lebanon.
Gallant credited Israeli forces with pushing Hezbollah from border villages and dismantling various forms of infrastructure, describing this as a turning point for the region.
Before the current conflict, Hezbollah’s rocket inventory was estimated at around 150,000, alongside anti-aircraft, anti-tank, anti-ship, and ballistic missiles capable of deep strikes into Israeli territory.