An Israeli airstrike in Beirut has reportedly targeted senior Hezbollah official Hashem Safieddine, widely viewed as the successor to the slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. The news of Nasrallah’s likely successor was first reported by Reuters, citing sources. However, no official confirmation has come from either the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) or Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The attack reportedly occurred at midnight on Thursday, with Israel launching a heavy barrage of airstrikes in Beirut. According to The New York Times, Safieddine was believed to be attending a meeting of senior Hezbollah officials in an underground bunker at the time of the attack.
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#Breaking Major airstrikes have targeted Hashem Safieddine, the heir to #Hezbollah, in the Laylaki, Kafa’at, and University neighborhoods, just 4 km from #Beirut’s Airport. These strikes are reminiscent of those that leveled buildings in the attack that killed Nasrallah. #Lebanon pic.twitter.com/HtuaZpuxoC
— Basha باشا (@BashaReport) October 3, 2024
The bombardment was one of the heaviest seen in Beirut since the death of Nasrallah. Reports from Axios news agency suggest that the scale of the strike was even larger than the one that killed Nasrallah, although the number of casualties has not yet been confirmed.
Who Is Hashem Safieddine?
Hashem Safieddine has been a central figure in Hezbollah’s leadership. He is involved in its political affairs and serves on the Jihad Council, the body responsible for overseeing Hezbollah’s military operations. Safieddine, a cousin of Nasrallah, has long been considered the second-in-command within the organisation and holds strong ties with the Iranian regime.
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Over the years, Nasrallah entrusted Safieddine with a variety of key roles in Hezbollah’s decision-making councils, including some that operate behind the scenes. Safieddine has also served as a spokesperson for the group on numerous occasions. In 2017, the US State Department designated Safieddine as a terrorist, and Saudi Arabia has also imposed sanctions on him for his role in Hezbollah.
(The article is published under a mutual content partnership arrangement between The Free Press Journal and Connected to India)
