Uncertainty Surrounds Fate of Hezbollah Leader’s Potential Successor Following Israeli Strike

The fate of Hashem Safieddine, a potential successor to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, remained unclear following an airstrike in Beirut. According to an unidentified Israeli official, Safieddine was the target of the airstrike, but it is uncertain if he was killed.

Hashem Safieddine, a maternal cousin to Hassan Nasrallah, has been a prominent figure within Hezbollah, serving as the head of its executive council. This council, one of five that make up the Shura Council, oversees the group’s political operations. Safieddine has been considered a strong candidate to assume leadership of the group, following Nasrallah’s assassination last week.

Safieddine, who shares familial ties with Nasrallah and a critical stance against Israel, has substantial connections to Iranian leadership. His alliances are bolstered by personal connections such as the marriage of his son to the daughter of the late Qasem Soleimani, a prominent Iranian general. Safieddine has openly discussed the significant relationship between Hezbollah and Iran‘s Revolutionary Guard Corps, emphasizing their united stance on regional issues.

The recent Israeli airstrike targeting Safieddine adds to the volatile environment in Lebanon following Nasrallah’s death. Phillip Smyth, an expert on Iran-backed Shiite militias, noted that positions were being maneuvered within Hezbollah’s hierarchy potentially in anticipation of Nasrallah’s succession.

Safieddine was born in Deir Qanoun En Nahr, a village in southern Lebanon, in 1964. Like many of his counterparts, he wears a black turban, signifying his status as a “Sayyid,” or a direct descendant of the Prophet Mohammed according to Shiite tradition. His involvement in regional dialogues extended to comments made during the Gaza conflicts, where he criticized American policy as supporting actions by Israel in Palestine and southern Lebanon.

Washington has labeled Hezbollah a foreign terrorist organization since 1997, a designation extended to Safieddine in 2017, recognizing his influential role within the group.