Tel Aviv (TDI): The Israeli military has claimed responsibility for killing Hashem Safieddine, a senior Hezbollah cleric and the likely successor to the group’s late leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in an airstrike nearly three weeks ago.
According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Safieddine was killed in a series of strikes on Hezbollah’s stronghold in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
Hezbollah, a powerful Lebanese Shia political and military organization, has yet to officially confirm his death.
The airstrike is said to have taken place on October 4 near Beirut’s airport.
Hezbollah had previously announced that it had lost contact with Safieddine after the bombing.
US media outlets, citing Israeli officials, suggested that Safieddine was the target of the operation.
The IDF also claimed responsibility for the death of Ali Hussein Hazima, a top Hezbollah intelligence commander, in the same strike.
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Israeli authorities accused Safieddine of orchestrating attacks against Israel over the years and playing a key role in Hezbollah’s decision-making processes.
Hezbollah has been engaged in armed conflict with Israel for decades.
Safieddine, a cousin of Nasrallah, had long been regarded as a prominent figure within the organization and was seen as the likely successor to Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike on September 27.
Safieddine had strong ties to Iran, having studied religious studies there, and his son was married to a daughter of Gen Qasem Soleimani, the influential Iranian military commander who was killed in a US airstrike in 2020.
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In a speech earlier this year, Safieddine emphasised Hezbollah’s approach to leadership succession, stating that if a leader is martyred, another would continue the fight with renewed determination.
Israel’s military offensive against Hezbollah escalated following nearly a year of cross-border hostilities, which were initially triggered by the Gaza war.
Human Loss in Conflict
The conflict has caused significant casualties on both sides, with Lebanon’s health ministry reporting over 2,464 Lebanese deaths and nearly 12,000 injuries over the past year.
Israel has also faced Hezbollah’s rocket and drone attacks, resulting in the deaths of at least 59 people in northern Israel and the occupied Golan Heights.
The ongoing conflict has displaced thousands of residents from border areas, as Israel continues its military operations aimed at curbing Hezbollah’s attacks.
