Hashem Safieddine, Hezbollah's 'number two' and presumed successor of Hassan Nasrallah targeted by Israel
Israel, which has stepped up its offensive on Hezbollah, has reportedly carried out a strike targeting Hashem Safieddine, a high-ranking member of the militia, who was widely presumed to succeed Hassan Nasrallah. Israel's military said Thursday it had hit Hezbollah's intelligence headquarters in the Lebanese capital, Beirut.
Hezbollah's 'number two' targeted
According to reports, the target of the attack was Safieddine, who has served as the head of Hezbollah's Executive Council since 2001. The 60-year-old maternal cousin of Nasrallah was considered the "number two" in Hezbollah and was among the top contenders to lead the military group.
However, the fate of Safieddine, who was presumed to be at a meeting of senior Hezbollah officials at the time of the airstrike, is unclear.
Who is Hashem Safieddine
While not much is known about Safieddine, who was born in 1964 in Deir Qanoun En Nahr, southern Lebanon, publicly available information claims that he was one of the early members of Hezbollah. Safieddine rose through the ranks of Hezbollah during Lebanon¡¯s long civil war, playing many roles and serving as a political, spiritual, and cultural leader, as well as leading the group¡¯s military activities at one point.
Designated terrorist by US
He has held several key positions in Hezbollah¡¯s ranks, including that of Executive Council, a position that was also twice held by Nasrallah. Safieddine studied theology in Iraq and Iran, together with Nasrallah, and was groomed by him as a possible successor. His brother, Abdallah Safieddine, is Hezbollah's representative to Iran. Hashem Safieddine was designated a terrorist by the United States and Saudi Arabia in May 2017 for his leadership role in Hezbollah.
Ties with Iran
Safieddine was also known to be close friends with Gen. Qassem Soleimani, an Iranian who commanded Iran¡¯s Revolutionary Guard¡¯s Quds Force until the United States killed him in an airstrike in Baghdad in 2020. Safieddine¡¯s son Reza Hashem Safieddine is married to the slain Iranian general¡¯s daughter, Zeinab Soleimani.
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