Hezbollah chief Nasrallah's likely successors killed: Israel's Netanyahu

Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel has eliminated the potential successors of Hassan Nasrallah, the Hezbollah leader who was killed in a strike on Beirut less than two weeks ago.

In Short

• Israeli Prime Minister did not reveal the names of the slain Hezbollah leaders
• Netanyahu urges Lebanese people to free themselves from Hezbollah.
• He warns of risks if Lebanese don't act against Hezbollah.

Israeli forces have eliminated key figures in Hezbollah's leadership succession, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Tuesday.

In a pre-recorded video message, he said, "We've degraded Hezbollah's capabilities. We took out thousands of terrorists, including Nasrallah himself, his successor, and even the successor's replacement."

However, Netanyahu did not reveal any specific names.

In the video message, the Israeli Prime Minister spoke "to the people of Lebanon", asking them to "free yourselves from Hezbollah".

He stated that Israel has a "right to defend itself."

Netanyahu claimed that Hezbollah is currently weaker than it has been in years. Speaking directly to the Lebanese people, he urged them to seize the opportunity for change, stating, “You can now take back your country and return it to a path of peace and prosperity.”

Netanyahu's comments come amid ongoing tensions in the region, where Hezbollah has long been a significant military presence.

Further in the video message, Netanyahu emphasised the power of the Lebanese people to influence their nation's future. He warned, however, that failing to act could have dire consequences. “If you don’t, Hezbollah will continue to try to fight Israel from densely populated areas at your expense,” he cautioned, underscoring the risks of escalating conflict in civilian areas.

The prime minister’s address reflects a broader strategy to encourage internal change within Lebanon while framing Hezbollah as a destabilising force.

He argued that the group is willing to engage in hostilities without regard for the Lebanese population, asserting, “It doesn’t care if Israel is dragged into a wider war.”

Earlier, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant suggested that Hashem Safieddine, the likely successor to the late Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, had likely been "killed." It remains unclear who Netanyahu referred to as the "replacement of the replacement," news agency Reuters reported.