The Israeli military confirmed Tuesday that Hashem Safieddine, who was believed to be Hezbollah’s next top official, was killed in an Israeli attack.
He was found to have been killed in an Oct. 4 airstrike that targeted Hezbollah’s intelligence division hiding in Beirut, officials said.
Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said Safieddine’s death should serve as a message to Hezbollah that the Jewish state will hunt down and eliminate all its enemies.
“We reached Nasrallah, his replacement, and most of Hezbollah’s leadership. We will know how to reach anyone who threatens the security of Israel’s citizens,” Halevi said in a statement.
The IDF estimates that there were more than 25 members of Hezbollah’s intelligence agents inside the headquarters when it was hit, with the military also confirming the death of Hezbollah intel chief Hussein Ali Hazima.
Safieddine was believed to be the man set to lead Hezbollah following the assassination of former chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah last month.
A cousin of Nasrallah, Safieddine served as the head of Hezbollah’s executive council, which oversees the terror group’s political affairs.
He also served on the terror group’s Jihad Council, which manages its military operations.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant correctly surmised earlier this month that Safieddine died in the Beirut bombardments, touting the military’s success at repeatedly taking out Hezbollah’s top officials.
Rumors began circulating about Safieddine’s death following the airstrike, with no word coming from the terror chief or Hezbollah on his whereabouts.
The Iran-backed terror group had previously complained that Israel’s bombardments in the capital were obstructing its search-and-rescue efforts for Safieddine.
Israel has decimated Hezbollah’s leadership in recent months, with successful airstrikes across Lebanon eliminating its senior-most commanders and political leaders.
With Post wires
