Israel kills Hashem Safieddine, who was emerging as Hezbollah's next leader
Just eight days after killing Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the terrorist group, the IDF did the same to his likely replacement. The operation marks a new success in the Israeli military’s strategy of targeting the organization's top leadership.
Hashem Safieddine in the southern suburbs of Beirut
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed it killed Hashem Safieddine, a senior Hezbollah official, in an Oct. 4 attack. The terrorist was emerging as a successor to Hassan Nasrallah, the jihadist leader who Israel killed in an airstrike in late September.
Safieddine was Nasrallah's cousin. He held key positions within the terrorist group, was head of Hezbollah's Executive Council. He also had close ties to Iran, so his succession would have further strengthened ties with Hezbollah's sponsor.
"During times when Nasrallah was absent from Lebanon, Hashem filled in as the Secretary-General of Hezbollah," the IDF explained. "Throughout the years, Safieddine directed terrorist attacks against the State of Israel and took part in Hezbollah's central decision-making processes."
The senior terrorist was killed in an Israeli attack on the group's intelligence headquarters in the Dahieh, a suburb of Beirut. The operation in central Lebanon nearly three weeks ago also killed Ali Hussein Hazima, commander of Hezbollah's intelligence headquarters.
The announcement reveals that, in just eight days, Israel has killed Hezbollah's leader and his possible replacement. It marks a new milestone in the Israeli troops‘ strategy of targeting the terrorist organization’s top leadership.
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