The Israeli military has confirmed the death of Hashem Safieddine, a potential successor to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an airstrike earlier this month. On September 27, Israeli forces targeted Nasrallah, reportedly with Iranian backing, resulting in his death. Following this, Safieddine emerged as a key figure within the organization.
According to Reuters, on October 22, the Israeli military announced that Safieddine had been killed three weeks earlier during an airstrike in southern Beirut, which also claimed the lives of 25 other Hezbollah leaders. This marks the first time the military has confirmed Safieddine’s death; earlier announcements had only suggested he may have been eliminated in the military operations. As of now, Hezbollah has not responded to the Israeli military’s claims.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah along the Lebanese border has escalated in recent years. Hezbollah, often viewed as Iran’s most powerful proxy in the Middle East, has coordinated with Hamas, the Palestinian militant group engaged in conflict with Israel in the Gaza Strip. However, numerous high-ranking Hezbollah commanders have been killed in recent weeks amid intensive Israeli bombardments.
Safieddine was a relative of Nasrallah and held the position of head of Hezbollah’s highest military body, the Jihad Council, while also managing financial and administrative affairs within the organization’s executive council. During a period of increasing tensions between Hezbollah and Israel, Safieddine often stepped in as a spokesperson for the group during public events when Nasrallah’s security concerns kept him from appearing.
In a broader context, diplomatic analysts suggest that with the U.S. presidential election approaching on November 5, Israel aims to solidify its advantageous position before the new administration takes office.
At the same time Israel confirmed Safieddine’s death, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv, emphasizing the need for a ceasefire in both Gaza and Lebanon. A senior State Department official revealed that Blinken urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to enhance humanitarian aid access to Gaza, indicating that current measures were insufficient.
With Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar reported dead at the hands of Israeli forces, the U.S. hopes this event might pave the way for peace and facilitate the release of hostages taken during the October 7 attack last year, potentially bringing an end to the conflict in Gaza.
Since the outbreak of the war, Blinken has made multiple trips to the Middle East, marking this visit as his 11th, and potentially his last before the upcoming U.S. presidential elections.
