Israel claims killing of Hezbollah’s potential Nasrallah successor

Israel said on October 22nd that it had “eliminated” Hezbollah’s potential new leader Hashem Safieddine, according to the Arab News via AFP.
“It can now be confirmed that in an attack approximately three weeks ago, Hashem Safieddine, the head of Hezbollah’s Executive Council, and Ali Hussein Hazima, the head of Hezbollah’s Intelligence Directorate, were killed along with other Hezbollah commanders,” Israel’s army said in a statement.
Israeli PM Netanyahu alleged his country’s military had “taken out” Safieddine back on October 8th, without specifically naming him, saying Israeli forces “took out thousands of terrorists, including (Hezbollah leader Hassan) Nasrallah himself and Nasrallah’s replacement and the replacement of his replacement.”
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Late on October 22nd, Israel said its air force “conducted a precise, intelligence-based strike on Hezbollah’s main intelligence headquarters,” in Dahiyeh, Hezbollah’s Beirut stronghold three weeks ago. It added that 25 members of Hezbollah were present at the time of the strike, “including Bilal Saib Aish, who was in charge of aerial intelligence gathering.”
Safieddine has been out of contact sine the strikes on Beirut, according to a Hezbollah source at the time. A source close to the group told AFP earlier in October that Safieddine, who had good relations with Iran, was the “most likely” candidate for the party’s leadership. Hezbollah has not responded to the claim that Safieddine has been killed.
“We have reached Nasrallah, his replacement and most of Hezbollah’s senior leadership,” Israeli army chief Herzi Halevi said in a statement on October 22nd after declaring Safieddine dead.
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At least 1,552 people have been killed in Lebanon since September 23rd, according to a tally by AFP of Lebanese health ministry figures. In recent days, Israel has begun targeting what it says are Hezbollah’s financial assets across Lebanon.
AFP