Hashem Safieddine, Nasrallah's likely successor, targeted in Israeli strike: Reports

An Israeli strike in Beirut reportedly targeted senior Hezbollah official Hashem Safieddine, seen as the successor to Hassan Nasrallah.

In Short

• Safieddine, a US-designated terrorist, plays key role in Hezbollah's political affairs
• Widely considered political heir of Hassan Nasrallah killed in Israeli airstrike
• Series of explosions in Beirut kill several amid intense Israeli offensive

An Israeli strike in Beirut targeted senior Hezbollah leader Hashem Safieddine, who is widely regarded as the successor of slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, Reuters reported, citing sources.

However, there has been no official statement from either the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) or the Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Israel hit Beirut at midnight on Thursday with an intense barrage of airstrikes, presumably while Safieddine was attending a meeting of senior Hezbollah officials in an underground bunker, according to The New York Times. The bombardment was one of the heaviest in the area since Israel killed Nasrallah.

According to news outlet Axios, which cited Lebanese media, the Israeli strike was far larger than the one that killed Nasrallah. The number of casualties is not yet known.

Hashem Safieddine, designated as a terrorist by the United States in 2017, holds a significant role in Hezbollah's political affairs and is a member of the group's Jihad Council, which manages its military operations. A cousin of Nasrallah, Safieddine, was generally considered the 'number two' in Hezbollah and also has close ties with the Iranian regime.

Nasrallah had appointed Safieddine to various influential positions within Hezbollah's councils, some of which are more discreet. Safieddine has also been a spokesperson for the group on multiple occasions.

The US State Department has designated him as a terrorist in 2017 and also by Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, Israel has also claimed that it has killed another senior Hezbollah official, Mohammed Anisi, involved in the group’s development of precision guided missiles, in a recent airstrike that targeted Hezbollah’s intelligence branch in Beirut.

Hezbollah has not commented on the Israeli military’s claim.

On Thursday, a series of massive blasts rocked Beirut’s southern suburbs, killing several people and shaking buildings kilometres away in the Lebanese capital, as Israel stepped up its offensive against Hezbollah.