Israel has continued its military campaign against Hezbollah with a targeted strike against Hashem Safieddine, the presumed successor to former leader Hassan Nasrallah. The attack, which occurred in a suburb south of Beirut, Lebanon’s capital, is believed to have been more extensive than the one that killed Nasrallah on September 27.
Safieddine, who was reportedly in a bunker at the time of the strike, has been labeled a specially designated global terrorist by the United States since 2017. As the cousin of Nasrallah, who led Hezbollah for over three decades, Safieddine has been a key figure in the organization.
Hezbollah has previously denied that Safieddine had been appointed as its new leader, but his close ties to the group and his affinity with Hamas, the terrorist organization operating in Gaza, are well-documented. In a past statement, Safieddine expressed his solidarity with Palestinian fighters, saying, “Our history, our guns, and our rockets are with you.”
The strike against Safieddine is part of Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hezbollah, which has intensified in recent weeks. The Jewish state is currently fighting on two fronts, with its war against Hamas in Gaza and its campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon. The conflict has resulted in significant casualties, with at least 1,276 people killed in Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon, according to the Lebanese health ministry.
Israel’s assassination of Nasrallah sparked a strong response from Iran, which launched over a hundred ballistic missiles at Israel. However, the Jewish state reported no casualties from the attack. Israel has since launched a ground invasion into Lebanon in an effort to further weaken Hezbollah, resulting in the deaths of several Israeli soldiers.
