Israel confirms that Hezbollah successor Hashem Safieddine has been killed in airstrikes in Beirut

Israel has confirmed the killing of Hashem Safieddine, a senior Hezbollah leader and suspected successor to Hassan Nasrallah, in an airstrike on southern Beirut in early October.

Safieddine was the head of Hezbollah’s executive council and a key figure in politics.

The Israeli army announced on Tuesday evening that airstrikes in the Dahiyeh suburb three weeks earlier had killed Safieddine and Ali Hussein Hazima, the head of Hezbollah’s intelligence service. The airstrike also killed 25 other leaders.

This blow to Hezbollah’s leadership comes amid escalating fighting between Hezbollah and Israel, with continued airstrikes and clashes along the Israel-Lebanon border.

Hezbollah has not yet commented on Safieddine’s death.

Following Safieddine’s death, Naim Qassem, deputy secretary general of Hezbollah, is now the only remaining member of the group’s public leadership. Qassem has represented Hezbollah since Nasrallah’s assassination, but lacks the widespread popularity the former secretary general had among supporters.

“We have reached (Hassan) Nasrallah, his replacement and most of Hezbollah’s leadership. We will know how to reach anyone who threatens the security of Israeli citizens,” IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said in remarks released by the army. The times of Israel.

This was said by a source close to Hezbollah AFP In early October it was announced that Safieddine was considered the “most likely” candidate for the party’s leadership.

The conflict between Hezbollah and Israel began after Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel on October 8, 2023 in “solidarity” with Hamas’s attack on Israel the day before. Hostilities have intensified sharply since Israel launched ‘Operation Northern Arrows’ on September 23.

More than 2,500 people were killed and more than 11,850 injured in Lebanon last year.

Last week, Israel attacked and killed Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas, in Gaza.

On Monday evening, Israeli attacks on Greater Beirut killed 18 people, including four children, and injured 60 in an attack in Dahiyeh.