In a new turn of development, Hashem Safieddine, seen as a potential successor to Salin Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Beirut on Friday, according to reports of the Saudi news outlet Al Hadath.
This revelation follows a series of Israeli military operations targeting the group’s senior leaders amid escalating tensions in the region. Israel launched airstrikes at night, between Friday and Saturday, targeting the Dahieh suburb of Beirut – known as a Hezbollah stronghold.
According to three Israeli officials, quoted by US news portal Axios, Safieddine was targeted in an underground bunker in Beirut on Thursday night, but it was unknown what happened to him. A source told Reuters that Safieddine has been “unreachable” since Friday.
Though Al Hadath reports that the Israeli government has acknowledged his death, there has been no official announcement from Israeli authorities yet.
IDF released a series of video statements stating that its operations aimed to dismantle Hezbollah’s intelligence infrastructure. In recent days, Israel has intensified its airstrikes against Hezbollah, claiming that they have successfully killed several key figures of the group.
Israeli airstrikes have led to the death of hundreds of civilians including of the children in Lebanon, with thousands of other people being injured. Many had to evacuate southern Lebanon which resulted in additional refugees in Middle East areas.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned in his first public appearance in Friday prayers that Iran and its allies ‘will not surrender’.
On Saturday, Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz put a photo of Safieddine and Nasrallah on X and called on Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to ‘take your proxies and leave Lebanon”.
Hassan Nasrallah
Hassan Nasrallah was the long-standing leader of Hezbollah who had led the group for 32 years. His death reports emerged after Israel reportedly launched almost 80 airstrikes at Hezbollah’s headquarters in Lebanon’s Beirut on September 26. Subsequently, his death was confirmed by the group the following day.
Who is Hashem Safieddine?
Hashem Safieddine, born in 1964 in southern Lebanon is Nasrallah’s cousin and currently serves as head of Hezbollah’s executive council. He has been within the organization since its inception in 1982 and has trained for leadership since 1994 after completing his religious sciences studies in Iran’s Qom City. Safieddine is responsible for handling Hezbollah’s politico business and managing its financial operations.
