The Israeli military said late on Tuesday that it had weeks ago killed Hashem Safieddine, the presumed successor to Hezbollah’s recently assassinated chief, in an air strike near Beirut. Speculation about Safieddine’s possible death had been swirling since Israeli warplanes unleashed strikes targeting a meeting of senior Hezbollah leadership early in Oct.It was one of the heaviest bombardments to hit the area, a Hezbollah stronghold known as the Dahiya, since an Israeli assault killed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on September 27.
Safieddine, a cousin of Nasrallah, was presumed to be at that meeting. On Tuesday, the Israeli military said Safieddine was killed in a strike about three weeks ago. “Throughout the years, Safieddine directed terrorist attacks against the state of Israel and took part in Hezbollah’s decision-making processes,” the statement said, adding that more than 25 Hezbollah operatives were present at the meeting where the military struck and killed Safieddine. The military did not provide any proof for its assertion.