Hashem Safieddine, a senior Hezbollah leader and likely successor to the slain group chief Hassan Nasrallah, is presumed dead following Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut. The attack occurred overnight between Friday and Saturday in the Dahieh neighbourhood, according to Saudi news outlet Al Hadath. In the same strike, senior Iranian commander Esmail Ghaani was reportedly injured.
Lebanese security sources told Reuters that Safieddine has been unreachable since the Israeli strikes, but Israeli officials have not confirmed his death. Earlier, the Israeli military reported the death of Mohammad Rashid Sakafi, Hezbollah's communications network head.
This escalation comes less than a week after the death of Hezbollah's chief Hassan Nasrallah and several high-ranking members, along with an Iranian general. Hezbollah has yet to name an official successor.
The airstrikes on Beirut are part of a broader Israeli assault, which has displaced over 1.2 million people. The Lebanese government accused Israel of targeting civilians, with many women and children among the casualties. Over 2,000 people have been killed in Lebanon this year, most within the past two weeks, though the figures have not been separated between civilians and Hezbollah fighters.
On Saturday, Israel expanded its strikes to the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli.
