ALBAWABA- Hezbollah has officially confirmed the assassination of Hashim Safieddine, the head of its Executive Council, describing him as a "great leader and a martyr on the path to Jerusalem."
The group announced that Safieddine was killed in a "criminal and aggressive Zionist raid" targeting a Beirut suburb earlier in October, where he and other Hezbollah figures were struck in an Israeli airstrike.
The assassination marks a significant loss for the organization, with Safieddine having been considered the likely successor to Hassan Nasrallah, the current leader of Hezbollah.
Safieddine, who was a maternal cousin of Nasrallah, shared a long-standing bond with him. The two had studied together in Iran in the early 1980s, and Safieddine's prominence in Hezbollah's leadership included a deep relationship with the Iranian leadership, particularly with the late Qasem Soleimani, an influential Iranian general killed by a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad in 2020.
His son is married to Soleimani's daughter, further solidifying the close ties between Hezbollah and Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The deceased leader had been at the helm of Hezbollah's Executive Council, which plays a crucial role in overseeing the organization's political activities and governance.
The council is one of five bodies that comprise Hezbollah's Shura Council, the highest decision-making authority within the group. Safieddine was also involved in the Jihad Council, the military wing of Hezbollah.
His leadership was marked by staunch criticism of Israel and the West, as well as active support for the group's militant activities.
Following the announcement of his death, Hezbollah pledged to continue its path of resistance and "jihad" against Israeli aggression, vowing to achieve its goals of freedom and victory for the organization.
The group has not yet named a successor to lead the Executive Council, leaving questions about the future leadership direction of Hezbollah in the wake of Safieddine’s assassination.
The Israeli military claimed responsibility for the airstrike that targeted Safieddine, characterizing it as part of its ongoing efforts to weaken Hezbollah’s leadership and military capabilities.
