Israel confirmed on Tuesday that it had killed Hashem Safieddine, a Hezbollah official who was expected to succeed Hassan Nasrallah as the group’s leader. The airstrike took place outside Beirut earlier in the month, and also killed Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters commander, Ali Hussein Hazima. The Israel Defense Forces claimed that the attack hit Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters in Dahieh, a Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut, where more than 25 members were present.
The escalating offensive by Israel in Lebanon has led to the deaths of several Hezbollah members, including top leaders, leaving the group in disarray. Safieddine, as head of Hezbollah’s executive council, had oversight over the group’s financial and administrative affairs, and was believed to be around 60 years old. The United States had designated him as a terrorist in 2017. Israeli strikes continued in southern Beirut, with one leveling a residential building claimed to contain Hezbollah facilities.
The confirmation of Safieddine’s death came as Secretary of State Antony Blinken was visiting Israel to discuss matters related to security, hostages held in Gaza, and the recent escalation of aggression from Iran. Blinken also met with the families of hostages still held in Gaza, expressing hopes for their release following the death of Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader responsible for the 2023 terrorist attack that sparked the Israel-Hamas war. The U.S. delegation’s departure was briefly disrupted by air sirens in Tel Aviv due to rocket fire from Hezbollah, which was intercepted by Israel.
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