Following the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, Hashem Safieddine was marked as a potential successor and became the target of an Israeli attack. Citing Lebanese reports, Israeli media claimed that the IDF allegedly attempted to kill Hashem Safieddine in the Dahiya suburb of Beirut. The reports suggested that the Israeli assault was reportedly more significant than the one targeting Nasrallah.
According to The New York Times, Israel conducted massive airstrikes on Beirut at midnight on Thursday. It's speculated that Safieddine was holding meetings with senior Hezbollah officials in a secret underground bunker at that time. Since Nasrallah’s assassination, it was one of the region’s most intense bombardments.
Three Israeli officials informed The New York Times that the strikes aimed at a gathering of top Hezbollah leaders, including Safieddine. Nonetheless, no official statements have been made by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) or Hezbollah in Lebanon.
IDF reportedly targeted areas in southern Lebanon, including Beirut. Several large explosions were reported in Beirut, with fears of multiple casualties.
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In 2017, Hashem Safieddine was declared a terrorist by the United States. He currently plays a significant role in Hezbollah's political matters and is also a member of the group's Jihad Council. Safieddine was among the top three leaders of Hezbollah together with Nasrallah and Naeem Qassem.
It is claimed that Hashem Safieddine has been evading Israeli attacks. He has been overseeing Hezbollah's political activities and is the head of the Executive Council. Furthermore, he is chairman of the Jihad Council, which plans the military operations of the organization. Hashem is known for wearing a black turban.
Claims to be a Descendant of Prophet Muhammad
Hashem claims to be a descendant of Prophet Muhammad. However, the US State Department labeled him a terrorist in 2017 as he instigated a significant conflict against Israel following the death of Hezbollah's senior commander. He had urged his fighters to make their enemies weep.
Educated in religious centers in Najaf, Iraq, and Qom, Iran, Safieddine returned to Lebanon in 1994 and quickly ascended Hezbollah's ranks. In 1995, he joined Majlis al-Shura, the group’s highest decision-making body.
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Hashem Safieddine has long been considered Nasrallah’s potential successor. Speculations about his role as successor intensified in 2006 when Iran reportedly promoted him as the future leader of the organization. He is one of six clerics serving on the Shura Council, Hezbollah’s supreme advisory body, and was chosen as the head of the Executive Council in 2001.
