In a significant development in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, senior Hezbollah leader Hashem Safieddine, widely considered the potential successor to slain group chief Hassan Nasrallah, is presumed dead after a series of Israeli airstrikes in Beirut.
The strikes, which targeted Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters in the Lebanese capital, were carried out overnight between Friday and Saturday. According to Saudi Arabian news outlet Al Hadath, Safieddine was killed during the attack in the Dahieh district. Senior Iranian commander Esmail Ghaani is also believed to have been injured in the same attack.
Lebanese security sources have confirmed that Safieddine has been “unreachable” since the Israeli strikes on Friday. However, Israeli officials have not officially confirmed the death of Safieddine and have maintained that their military is still assessing the situation.
This development comes less than a week after the death of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and several other key members of the group, as well as an Iranian Revolutionary Guards general, in a series of Israeli attacks. Hezbollah has not yet named an official successor to Nasrallah.
The air attack on Beirut was part of a wider Israeli assault that has displaced more than 1.2 million people from their homes in recent days. The Lebanese government has accused Israel of targeting civilians, pointing to the dozens of women and children among the casualties. Officials say more than 2,000 people in Lebanon have been killed over the past year, with most deaths occurring in the last two weeks.
On Friday afternoon, Israeli forces reported striking more than 2,000 sites and killing around 250 Hezbollah fighters. Israel also expanded its conflict on Saturday with its first strike in the northern city of Tripoli.
The escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah continues to cast a shadow over the region, with the loss of life and displacement of civilians adding to the already complex situation. The international community is closely monitoring the situation and urging both sides to exercise restraint.
