Hezbollah confirms “Israeli” strike killed potential Nasrallah successor, Hashem Safieddine

Hezbollah confirmed today that the “Israeli” strike on Beirut around three weeks ago killed its senior leader Hashem Safieddine, who’s the head of Hezbollah’s Executive Council and widely touted as Hassan Nasrallah’s replacement as Secretary-General of the group.

The statement said he “departed along with some of the best of his fellow fights…in a brutal and criminal Zionist airstrike”.

It added that Safieddine dedicated his life to the service of Hezbollah, by “effectively leading the Executive Council overseeing its institutions and various operational units for many years.”

“He was always close to the fighters, connected to the people, and deeply loved by the families of the martyrs. In return, God honored him with the ultimate gift of martyrdom, joining the luminous caravan of the martyrs of Karbala.”

Hezbollah vowed to “ continue along the path of resistance and jihad until the goals of freedom and victory are achieved.”

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The confirmation by Hezbollah comes less than 24 hours after the “Israeli” military said that Hashem Safieddine was killed in an airstrike on Beirut some three weeks ago.

Safieddine, who is Hassan Nasrallah’s cousin, was projected to take the mantle as Hezbollah’s Secretary-General.

The IOF said Hossein Ali Zima, the head of Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters, was also killed in the strike on Dahiyeh in Beirut; along with several other commanders – but Hezbollah didn’t confirm Zima’s death.

The IOF’s statement said the strike targeted the main headquarters of the intelligence unit of Hezbollah.

Following Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah's death in an Israeli Occupation airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs on September 27, many pegged Hashem Safieddine to take his place.

Hashem Safieddine, Nasrallah's cousin and son-in-law of the late Iranian General Qassem Soleimani has long been groomed to succeed Nasrallah, having led Hezbollah’s executive council and overseeing the group's financial and institutional operations.

Safieddine, listed as a terrorist by the US since 2017, maintained close ties with both Hezbollah’s military and executive wings.

Having spent years studying in Qom, Iran, Safieddine shared Nasrallah’s ideological alignment, including strong support for Iran’s Wilayat al-Faqih doctrine.