Israel Targets Hezbollah Successor in Major Airstrike as Lebanon Conflict Intensifies

Beirut, October 5, 2024 — Israeli forces launched a series of powerful airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs late Thursday night, reportedly targeting Hashem Safieddine, presumed successor to Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah. This attack comes less than a week after Nasrallah, leader of the Iran-backed militant group, was killed in a previous Israeli strike. While re is no official confirmation from Hezbollah, Israeli security officials have indicated growing confidence that Safieddine may have been killed in operation.

 

The airstrike targeted Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters in the Dahiyeh neighborhood of southern Beirut, a known Hezbollah stronghold. According to multiple sources, Safieddine was attending a high-level meeting with senior Hezbollah leaders in an underground bunker at the time of the strike.  New York Times and Axios reported that Israeli intelligence had pinpointed his location before the attack. However,  the fate of Safieddine remains unclear, as Hezbollah has yet to comment on the incident. 

Rising Tensions and Intensified Airstrikes 

attack on Safieddine comes amid escalating military actions between Israel and Hezbollah, with Israeli forces stepping up for airstrikes on Lebanese territory in recent weeks.  Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported that Thursday’s air raid included 11 consecutive strikes on Hezbollah-controlled areas in Beirut, making it one of the most intense operations since the start of the conflict. 

IDF issued warnings to residents of Burj al-Barajneh and Hadath neighborhoods in southern Beirut, urging them to evacuate as strikes loomed. Loud explosions were heard across the city, with the force of blasts triggering car alarms and shaking buildings. Thick smoke and fireballs were seen rising from the target area, according to witnesses. 

Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) described strikes as most severe in the Dahiyeh district since the beginning of current hostilities.  The sound of explosions could be heard as far away as the mountain regions surrounding the capital. 

Earlier in the day, Israeli forces also targeted a warehouse adjacent to Beirut’s international airport, raising concerns about the expansion of Israeli military activities near key infrastructure. While it remains unclear what the warehouse contained,  the strike highlights Israel’s determination to disrupt Hezbollah’s operations throughout Lebanon. 

Hezbollah’s Response and Worsening Conflict 

In response to Israeli strikes, Hezbollah has launched hundreds of rockets into northern Israel, leading to widespread evacuations and casualties. Over the past two weeks, Hezbollah’s rocket attacks have forced more than 60,000 Israeli civilians living near the Lebanon border to flee their homes. Hezbollah claims its actions are part of a broader effort to support Hamas in Gaza, which remains embroiled in its own conflict with Israel. 

Ongoing hostilities along the Israel-Lebanon border have led to significant losses on both sides. According to Lebanese health officials, over 630 people have been killed in Lebanon since the escalation began, with a quarter of those casualties being women and children. More than 2,000 have been injured in the fighting. Israeli authorities have reported that more than 26 civilians and 22 IDF soldiers have been killed in Hezbollah’s rocket attacks and or military engagements. 

Israel’s strikes, which have decimated Hezbollah’s top leadership, are part of a broader strategy to neutralize the group’s influence in Lebanon.  IDF has described its operations in southern Lebanon as “limited, localized, and targeted raids,” aimed at dismantling Hezbollah’s military infrastructure near the border. Se operations are designed to allow displaced Israeli residents to return home safely, though officials have acknowledged the complexity of the situation. 

Hashem Safieddine: Hezbollah’s Rising Leader 

Hashem Safieddine, a cleric closely related to Hassan Nasrallah, has long been seen as a potential successor to the slain Hezbollah leader. As head of Hezbollah’s executive council, Safieddine oversees the group’s political and social activities. He also holds a position on Hezbollah’s Jihad Council, which is responsible for the organization’s military operations. His family ties to Nasrallah, as well as his status as a descendant of  Prophet Mohammed, have positioned him as a key figure within Hezbollah’s leadership. 

In 2017,  the U.S. State Department designated Safieddine as a terrorist due to his involvement in Hezbollah’s military and political operations. His potential rise to leadership comes at a time of increased tension in the region, as Hezbollah and its Iranian backers seek to expand our influence across the Middle East. 

If Safieddine is confirmed dead, it would mark another significant blow to Hezbollah, which has lost several key figures in Israel’s ongoing campaign to dismantle the group’s leadership and military infrastructure. Israel’s targeted airstrikes have already eliminated several high-ranking Hezbollah officials, including the head of the group’s communications network, Mohammad Rashid Sakafi, in a separate strike earlier this week. 

International Reactions and Regional Implications 

escalating conflict has raised concerns about the potential for a broader regional war involving Iran and its proxy forces, including Hezbollah, in Lebanon and Syria. In a rare public statement, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei condemned Israel’s actions and called for a united resistance against Israeli aggression. Khamenei vowed that Iran and its allies would not back down, urging Hezbollah and or groups to continue its military efforts against Israel. 

U.S. President Joe Biden has also expressed concern about growing violence in Lebanon and Gaza. While reaffirming his administration’s support for Israel’s right to defend itself, Biden called for caution to avoid further civilian casualties and urged both sides to seek a diplomatic resolution to the conflict.  United Nations has similarly condemned the rising death toll among civilians, with U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres describing the situation as “unacceptable” and calling for an immediate ceasefire. 

Conflict shows no signs of abating as both Israel and Hezbollah remain locked in a cycle of retaliatory strikes. With the possibility of Hezbollah’s leadership undergoing significant changes and Israel’s military operations intensifying,  the situation in Lebanon continues to be one of the most volatile flashpoints in the Middle East. 

As the death toll rises and civilian infrastructure suffers increasing damage,  the prospect of a long-term resolution to the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict seems distant. Both sides appear determined to press on with ir military objectives, leaving the people of Lebanon and northern Israel caught in the crossfire.