Tel Aviv: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have announced that Hezbollah official Hashem Safieddine was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut earlier this month. Safieddine, head of Hezbollah’s executive council, was considered a likely successor to Hassan Nasrallah following his death in September, according to The Times of Israel. The IDF also confirmed that Hashem Safieddine was a cousin of Nasrallah.
According to the Israeli military, Hashem Safieddine was killed alongside Hussein Ali Hazima, the Commander of Hezbollah’s Intelligence Headquarters, during an airstrike on October 4.
The airstrike targeted Hezbollah’s underground intelligence headquarters in Beirut, which, according to the Israeli army, was located “in the heart of a civilian population” in the southern suburb of the Lebanese capital, known as Dahiyeh.
Sharing a post on X(previously Twitter), the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) 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.”
“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,” the post further reads.
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… pic.twitter.com/Z2wQGsRxvt
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 22, 2024
The IDF stated that over 25 members of Hezbollah’s intelligence division, including several top commanders, were present at the headquarters during the strike, The Times of Israel reported. Safieddine had been out of contact since the attack, but the IDF has now confirmed his death. Hezbollah has yet to issue a statement regarding his death, according to the report. In 2017, the U.S. State Department designated Hashem Safieddine as a terrorist.
Earlier on September 28, the IDF confirmed the killing of Hassan Nasrallah in the airstrikes carried out by the Israeli military in Beirut. In a statement, the IDF said, “Hassan Nasrallah will no longer be able to terrorise the world.”
(With ANI Inputs)
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