Israel’s assassination last weekend of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has put the group in a thorny position, fighting ongoing Israeli invasions in southern Lebanon while scrambling to keep its leadership organized.
The assumption has been that Nasrallah would be succeeded by Hashem Safieddine. Safieddine is Nasrallah’s cousin and, reportedly, is Hezbollah’s head of intelligence. He is also the head of Hezbollah’s Executive Council. Friday’s Israeli strike on Hezbollah’s compound in southern Beirut is thought to have targeted Safieddine.
However, Safieddine’s fate is unclear following that attack. Hezbollah reports rescue attempts at the site have been prevented by multiple, subsequent Israeli attacks. Israeli media, indeed, speculates that Safieddine has been killed, but there is no confirmation yet.
The status of Hezbollah’s leadership is also unclear if, in fact, Safieddine, official successor to Nasrallah, was killed. While Hezbollah has clearly shown an ability to manage the deaths of important figures and still continue its operations, these recent losses are the largest yet.
Israel likely believes Safieddine was present at the target site, which explains why it has been preventing the rescue efforts. Who else might have been present at the underground facility and their subsequent status is unknown, as is that of any bystanders.
