International

Hezbulá appoints Naim Qassem as its new secretary general

The Shira Council of Hizbula, the highest governing body of the Lebanese Shii Islamist group, announced the appointment of Naim Qassem as its new secretary general to replace Hasan Nazralá, who died in a bombing of Israel on September 27.

In a statement issued by the leadership of Hezbulá, the group assured that “according to the mechanism approved for the election of the general secretary, the Council of the Shura of Hezbulá agreed to elect His Eminence Sheikh Naim Qassem as secretary general of Hezbulá, carrying the blessed banner on this journey, asking God Almighty to guide him in this noble mission at the head of Hezbulah and his Islamic resistance.”

In the note, the armed formation promised that with the appointment of Qassem “they will work together to achieve the principles of Hezbullah and the goals of their path, and keep the flame of resistance shining and its banner high until victory is achieved.”

Number two of Hizbula since 1991

Just over a month after Nasrala’s murder, the group has decided to choose the number two of the formation and who has been in charge of delivering the three television speeches offered after the death of the previous head of Hezbulá, who was in charge for three decades.

This decision has been made after last week Hezbulá confirmed the death of Hashem Safi al Din, head of the Executive Council of the formation and considered one of the main candidates to succeed the clergy Nasrala.

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Qassem, whose location is unknown, was appointed deputy chief of Hizbulá in 1991, when Nasrala was not yet the leader of the formation.

He has been considered one of the main spokesmen of the Shiite group and the highest level figure who has even given interviews to foreign media.

Rocket rand against Israel after appointment

After the announcement of the appointment of its new leader, Hezbulá launched a fly of rockets from Lebanon against northern Israel that, according to Jewish emergency services, caused the death of one man.

“It was a difficult scene, there was great destruction in the place and we started looking. We saw a man unconscious, without a pulse and without breathing. His injury was critical and we had to declare him dead,” reported a spokesman for the Maguen emergency services David Adom (MDA).

In addition, they had to treat several people with anxiety crises, according to the MDA.

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The Army detected the launch of about 50 rockets towards various locations in northern Israel. Some of them were intercepted, but several fell in the city of Maalot Tarshiha.

The projectiles set off the alarms in at least 30 locations.

After more than a year of exchange of fire between the Israeli Army and Hezbullah on the border between the two countries, Israeli troops embarked on a ground incursion into Lebanon on October 1 after escalating the conflict days earlier with intense bombings that killed numerous Hezbulah fighters, but also civilians.

International

Rubio and Lavrov Hold Talks After Large-Scale Russian Assault on Ukraine

The United States remains willing to mediate in the war between Russia and Ukraine, Secretary of State Marco Rubiosaid Tuesday following a large-scale Russian attack against Kyiv.

“Every time you see these large attacks by either side, it is a reminder of why this is a terrible war (…) that must come to an end,” Rubio told reporters after holding a phone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Speaking during an official visit to India, Rubio stated that the United States is “ready and prepared to do whatever it can” to help facilitate an end to the conflict.

“We hope the opportunity presents itself at some point,” he added.

Russia warned on Monday that it could launch additional strikes against Kyiv, including attacks targeting what it described as “decision-making centers,” after carrying out weekend bombardments involving dozens of drones and missiles across Ukraine. The attacks reportedly killed four people.

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According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Lavrov urged the United States during the call to evacuate diplomats from its embassy in Kyiv.

Rubio later clarified that Moscow had issued a warning to all embassies in the Ukrainian capital, not only to the U.S. diplomatic mission.

International

Omar García Harfuch Announces Arrest of “El Chapo’s” Nephew

Mexican security forces captured a nephew of convicted drug lord Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán during an operation carried out in the northern border state of Sonora, authorities confirmed on Tuesday.

The suspect, identified as Isai “N,” is reportedly wanted by authorities in the United States.

Omar García Harfuch, Mexico’s secretary of security, stated on X that the detainee is a “nephew of ‘El Chapo,’” the former leader of the powerful Sinaloa Cartel, who is currently serving a life sentence in the United States.

Mexican media identified the suspect as Isai Martínez Zepeda, who had reportedly been arrested in June 2008 while allegedly carrying high-caliber weapons.

However, the press office of Mexico’s Security Ministry told AFP that it did not have additional details regarding the earlier arrest.

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Two sons of Joaquín Guzmán, Ovidio Guzmán López and Joaquín Guzmán López, are also imprisoned in the United States on drug trafficking charges.

International

Diplomatic Talks Continue as Iran Accuses U.S. of Ceasefire Violations

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran accused the United States on Tuesday of violating the fragile ceasefire over the past 48 hours in the province of Hormozgan Province, although officials did not specify the exact incident.

The accusations came after the United States Central Command announced on Monday that U.S. forces had targeted Iranian missile-launch facilities and vessels allegedly attempting to deploy mines in the Gulf region.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed that its forces fired on a U.S. aircraft that allegedly attempted to enter Iranian airspace.

“The terrorist U.S. military, which has continued its illegal and unjustified actions since the ceasefire (…) committed a serious violation of the ceasefire in Hormozgan Province over the past 48 hours,” the Iranian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The ministry also warned that Iran “will not leave any hostile act unanswered and will not hesitate to defend itself,” without providing further details.