Hezbollah confirmed on Wednesday that Israeli forces killed Hashem Safieddine, a high-ranking Hezbollah leader. Safieddine was seen as the likely successor to Hassan Nasrallah, who was also killed in an Israeli airstrike. Hezbollah did not specify the exact time or location of the strike but referred to it as a “criminal and aggressive Zionist raid.” Safieddine died alongside other Hezbollah fighters.
Israel had previously stated that Safieddine was killed three weeks ago in an airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Hezbollah mourned the loss of Safieddine, who held a significant position as the head of the group’s Executive Council. He was a cleric with close ties to Nasrallah, and his family connections, along with his role within the organization, had made him a likely candidate for leadership after Nasrallah’s assassination.
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Safieddine had strong links to Iran, having studied in Qom, a religious center in the country. In 2017, both the United States and Saudi Arabia designated him as a terrorist, placing him on their respective watchlists. His deep involvement in Hezbollah and his international connections made him a pivotal figure within the group.
Israel continues to target leaders of militant organizations, including a recent claim that it killed Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar in Gaza. According to Israeli authorities, Sinwar was tracked by a mini drone and later found slumped in a chair, covered in dust, after an airstrike hit a building in southern Gaza.
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