Hezbollah's Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem has been residing in Tehran since early October, sources told Arabic language Erem News and Iraqi Shafaq, amid concerns over potential Israeli assassination attempts.

An anonymous Iranian source told Erem News that Qassem left Beirut on October 5 on an Iranian flight with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, stopping in Damascus before continuing to Tehran.

The move was reportedly ordered by high-ranking Iranian officials due to Qassem's presence on an Israeli wanted list, the source said and comes as Iran attempts to rebuild its so-called “Axis of Resistance” against Israel after multiple deaths including the top leadership of Hezbollah and Hamas.  

Beirut has become increasingly unsafe in recent months due to the ongoing assault by Israel over the city, IntelliNews correspondent confirmed with several areas of the city and wider Lebanon being struck repeatedly.

Qassem has made three public appearances since the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on September 27.

While his first speech on September 30 was delivered from Beirut, the subsequent two on October 8 and October 15 were made from Iran, according to the source.

Hezbollah and Iran have not confirmed this information or appointed a new Secretary-General since Nasrallah's death. Iranian media, quoting Emirati sources have also reported the news of the new Hezbollah leader’s move but officials in Iran have not yet confirmed.

Qassem, now considered the de facto leader of Lebanese Hezbollah since Nasrallah's assassination, is viewed as a potential successor after with Hashem Safieddine, the head of Hezbollah's executive council was also reportedly killed recently.

In his most recent speech, Qassem outlined a new strategy for the group's interactions with the Israeli military, which he described as "inflicting pain."

The relocation comes amid escalating tensions between Hezbollah and Israel, with the latter intensifying its military campaign against the group in recent weeks.

Dahieh where Qassem was previously based, the suburban region just south of Beirut, stands out like a black hole within the city. On September 23, the Israeli Air Force began ruthlessly bombing the area along with other mostly Shia areas across Lebanon in what they’ve dubbed Operation “Northern Arrows”.

Since the operation began, the Israeli Air Force has killed hundreds of civilians and assassinated several of Hezbollah’s senior military commanders, including the  successive leaders of the group.