Jerusalem: Israel continues its operations against Hezbollah’s leadership, following the elimination of the group’s chief, Hassan Nasrallah. Israel claims to have killed Hashem Safieddine, who was likely to succeed Nasrallah.
As Lebanon prepares for Nasrallah’s secret cremation, Israel’s recent strike in Beirut has reverberated through Lebanon, Iran, and Hezbollah ranks. Yet, Hezbollah and Lebanon have not confirmed Safieddine’s death. Some local reports suggest Safieddine may have survived the attack.
Hashem Safieddine chaired Hezbollah’s executive council and oversaw the group’s political activities. He also served on the Jihad Council and was responsible for military operations.
Safieddine, Nasrallah’s cousin and fellow cleric, recognized by the black turban denoting lineage from the Prophet Mohammed, was labelled a terrorist by the US State Department in 2017. After a Hezbollah commander’s death in June, he threatened an escalation against Israel.
“Let the enemy prepare to cry and wail,” he declared at the funeral. Safieddine’s statements often echo Hezbollah’s combative posture and support for the Palestinian cause.
Additionally, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported the death of Zahi Yaser Abd al-Razeq Oufi, leader of Hamas’s Tulkarm network in the West Bank. The IDF alleges that Oufi orchestrated a car-bombing attempt in Ateret on September 2 and provided arms to numerous Hamas militants, orchestrating many attacks against West Bank communities and Israeli locations, as reported by Xinhua news agency.