Israel confirms killing of Hashem Safieddine, Hezbollah had yet to comment
Beirut (Quds News Network)- Israel has confirmed the killing of Hezbollah leader Hashem Safieddine, who was seen as a possible successor to late leader Hassan Nasrallah, in an airstrike on southern Beirut earlier in October.
In a statement on Tuesday evening, the Israeli military claimed strikes in the suburb of Dahiyeh had killed Hashem Safieddine and Ali Hussein Hazima, the head of Hezbollah’s intelligence branch, three weeks ago.
It was the first time Israel confirmed the killing of the most senior political official in Hezbollah after the former secretary general Hassan Nasrallah.
Hezbollah has not yet commented on Israel’s claim.
Safieddine was the head of Hezbollah’s highest political decision-making body, the executive council, and was reportedly picked as the successor to Nasrallah some years ago.
He was also a cousin of the former secretary general and was seen as having much of the same charisma that inspired the cult personality around Nasrallah.
His fate was unknown after Israeli strikes on Dahiyeh on 3 October, which Israel claimed were targeting an underground bunker where the senior leader was living.
Hezbollah had reportedly not been able to re-establish contact with Safieddine since the strike and rescue workers were prevented from reaching the site of the bombing.
It remains unknown who will take the helm as the next leader of the group. In a speech two weeks ago, Naim Qassem, the deputy secretary general of Hezbollah, said that appointing a new leader was a complex procedure and would take some time.
