Hashem Safieddine Targeted in Israeli Strike: Reports

An Israeli airstrike in Beirut has reportedly targeted senior Hezbollah leader Hashem Safieddine, widely considered to be the successor of slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Reuters, citing sources, reported the incident, though neither the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) nor Hezbollah have issued any official statements.

On Thursday at midnight, Israel launched a massive barrage of airstrikes in Beirut. According to The New York Times, Safieddine was attending a meeting of senior Hezbollah officials in an underground bunker at the time. This attack was one of the largest in the region since Nasrallah was killed. The exact number of casualties is still unclear.

Hashem Safieddine, designated a terrorist by the United States in 2017, plays a crucial role in Hezbollah’s political affairs and is a member of its Jihad Council, which oversees military operations. A cousin of Nasrallah, Safieddine is considered Hezbollah’s “number two” and maintains close ties with the Iranian regime. Nasrallah had entrusted him with multiple significant roles within Hezbollah’s internal councils, some of which remain discreet. Safieddine has also been the spokesperson for Hezbollah on numerous occasions.

In addition to this, Israel has claimed responsibility for killing another senior Hezbollah official, Mohammed Anisi, involved in the development of the group’s precision-guided missiles, in a recent airstrike targeting Hezbollah’s intelligence branch in Beirut. Hezbollah has not commented on these claims.

On Thursday, a series of powerful explosions rocked Beirut’s southern suburbs, killing several people and damaging buildings miles away, as Israel intensified its offensive against Hezbollah.

Aakhir Tak Editor-in-Chief

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