Israel confirmed on Tuesday that it had killed Hashem Safieddine, the Hezbollah official expected to succeed Hassan Nasrallah as the group’s leader, in an airstrike outside Beirut earlier this month. Safieddine was killed in an attack on Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters in Dahieh, along with the commander of the headquarters, Ali Hussein Hazima. The Israeli army chief stated that they have also targeted other senior Hezbollah leaders.
The escalating offensive by Israel in Lebanon has resulted in the deaths of many Hezbollah members, including top leaders, causing disarray within the group. Safieddine, who was also designated a terrorist by the United States in 2017, played a key role in Hezbollah’s financial, administrative, and military operations.
Israel’s confirmation of Safieddine’s death came as Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Israel, where he discussed efforts to deter further aggression from Iran and ensure Israel’s security. Blinken also met with the families of hostages still held in Gaza, expressing hope for their release following the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
The U.S. delegation’s departure from Israel was briefly interrupted by air sirens in Tel Aviv, believed to be due to rocket fire from Hezbollah. The discussions between Blinken and Israeli officials focused on ending the fighting in Gaza and Lebanon, securing the release of hostages, and increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza to prevent catastrophic levels of hunger.
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