BEIRUT – Reports have surfaced that Hashem Safieddine, the likely successor to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, has been killed in an Israeli airstrike on Lebanon. According to British media citing Israeli security sources, Safieddine was targeted and reportedly martyred in the ongoing conflict.
The intense bombardment by Israeli forces in southern Beirut has continued for the past two days. Lebanese security sources have confirmed that due to the ongoing strikes, rescue workers have been unable to reach the site of the attack where Safieddine is believed to have been hit. These sources also indicated that Safieddine has been unreachable since the strike, fueling speculation about his death.
American media outlets have also reported that Safieddine was deliberately targeted during these operations. The bombardment in southern Beirut has been especially heavy, as Israeli forces ramp up their offensive.
British reports further reveal that Israeli forces utilized social media posts, television signals, and even vehicle meters to track down key Hezbollah leaders.
Safieddine, a close relative of the current Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, was reportedly being considered as his successor. Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah have escalated since October 7, 2023, with frequent clashes along the Lebanon-Israel border. According to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health, nearly 2,000 people have been killed in the country since that time, most of them after September 23 as a result of the conflict.
