Media reports Nasrallah’s supposed replacement murdered by Israel
Date
10/6/2024 5:53:31 AM
(MENAFN) Reports from Al Arabiya claim that Hashem Safieddine, a prominent figure within Hezbollah and rumored successor to the late Hassan Nasrallah, has been killed in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut. The attack occurred on Friday and targeted the southern part of the city, where Safieddine was believed to be sheltering in a secure bomb shelter alongside several Iranian aides and other Hezbollah commanders.
Safieddine, who was 60 years old and led Hezbollah’s Executive Council, had previously been seen as the second-in-command within the organization before Nasrallah’s recent death. According to sources cited by both Reuters and Sky News Arabia, the likelihood of any survivors in the targeted area is “almost zero,” further fueling speculation about the fate of those present during the strike. Additionally, a Reuters source noted that Safieddine had not been reachable since the airstrike took place.
Israeli media had earlier suggested that Safieddine had only sustained injuries in the attack, indicating that the airstrike aimed to target a meeting of key Hezbollah intelligence leaders. In a related development, it was reported that Esmail Ghaani, the commander of Iran’s Quds Force, may have been injured in the same attack.
Hezbollah has not officially commented on the reports regarding Safieddine’s death. The group had previously denied rumors about his elevation to replace Nasrallah, who was assassinated in another Israeli airstrike just last month. At that time, Safieddine was noted as one of the few senior officials within Hezbollah to have managed to evade Israeli strikes.
As tensions continue to rise in the region, the implications of these developments for Hezbollah and its operations remain to be seen. The potential loss of a key figure like Safieddine could impact the group's leadership structure and strategy moving forward.
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