Hezbollah Confirms Death of Top Leader Hashem Safieddine in Israeli Airstrike

Hezbollah has confirmed the death of Hashem Safieddine, head of the group's executive council, following an Israeli airstrike in Beirut earlier this month, CNN reported.

Safieddine was considered one of the possible successors to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, whose death was confirmed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on September 28.

In its statement, Hezbollah acknowledged Safieddine’s death in an Israeli strike, though it did not specify the date. The group stated, "His Eminence Sayyed Hashem Safieddine has devoted most of his life to serving Hezbollah, the Islamic Resistance and its society." Hezbollah has yet to name Nasrallah’s successor.

The IDF announced that Safieddine, who was Nasrallah’s cousin, was killed alongside Ali Hussein Hazima, the Commander of Hezbollah’s Intelligence Headquarters, during a strike on October 4.

The IDF, in a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), said, “Hashem Safieddine, Head of the Hezbollah Executive Council and Ali Hussein Hazima, Commander of Hezbollah’s Intelligence Headquarters, were eliminated during a strike on Hezbollah’s main intelligence HQ in Dahieh approx. 3 weeks ago. Hashem Safieddine was a member of the Shura Council, Hezbollah’s most senior military-political forum, responsible for the decision-making and policy-making in the terrorist organization.”

The statement further noted, “Hashem was the cousin of Hassan Nasrallah, the former leader of Hezbollah, and had a significant influence on decision-making within Hezbollah. During times when Nasrallah was absent from Lebanon, Hashem filled in as the Secretary-General of Hezbollah. Throughout the years, Safieddine directed terrorist attacks against the State of Israel and took part in Hezbollah’s central decision-making processes. Alongside Hashem, the terrorist Ali Hussein Hazima, the Commander of Hezbollah’s Intelligence Headquarters, was also eliminated. He was responsible for directing numerous attacks on IDF soldiers.”

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