Hashem Safieddine, a key figure within Hezbollah and a potential successor to the group’s leader Hassan Nasrallah, has reportedly been targeted by Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon. Israel’s ongoing efforts to dismantle Hezbollah’s leadership reached a new level on Thursday night, when Israeli warplanes bombarded areas in southern Lebanon. Israeli officials indicated that the target was Safieddine, who was thought to be attending a meeting of senior Hezbollah officials at the time. However, it remains unclear whether Safieddine was killed in the attack.
Early Life and Rise in Hezbollah
Safieddine was born in the early 1960s in southern Lebanon and joined Hezbollah soon after its formation in the 1980s. The militant Shiite Muslim group was established during Lebanon’s civil war with support from Iran, which became a key backer of the group. Safieddine quickly rose through the ranks, establishing himself as a prominent political, spiritual, and military leader within Hezbollah.
In 1995, Safieddine was appointed to Hezbollah’s Consultative Assembly, the organization’s highest governing body. Shortly after, he became the head of Hezbollah’s Jihadi Council, which oversees the group’s military operations. By 1998, Safieddine was elected to lead Hezbollah’s Executive Council, a role that his cousin, Hassan Nasrallah, had previously held before becoming Hezbollah’s secretary-general in 1992.
Religious Background and Ties to Iran
Safieddine, like Nasrallah, is a Shiite cleric and is often seen in a black turban, indicating his religious status and ability to trace his ancestry back to the Prophet Muhammad. His connections to Iran are not only political but also deeply personal. He studied in Qom, one of Iran’s most important religious cities, where he forged close ties with Tehran’s leadership. This connection was further solidified through Safieddine’s friendship with Qassem Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, who was killed by the United States in an airstrike in Baghdad in 2020.
Safieddine’s personal ties to Iran were also highlighted when his son, Reza Hashem Safieddine, married Soleimani’s daughter, Zeinab Suleimani, in a high-profile wedding that symbolized Iran’s deep entrenchment in Hezbollah’s leadership.
U.S. and Saudi Designations as a Terrorist
In May 2017, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia designated Safieddine as a terrorist, citing his leadership role in Hezbollah and his influence within the group’s Executive Council. The U.S. Treasury Department described him as a senior leader involved in overseeing Hezbollah’s political, organizational, and social activities. The State Department also pointed to the risk Safieddine posed in planning terrorist activities that threatened U.S. national security.
Hezbollah, which was designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. in 1997, has been held responsible for several attacks that have targeted Americans, including the 1983 suicide truck bombings of the U.S. Embassy and Marine barracks in Beirut, and the 1985 hijacking of TWA Flight 847.
Hezbollah’s Future Without Nasrallah?
Israel’s attempts to target Safieddine come at a critical time for Hezbollah, as the group faces both internal and external challenges. The potential assassination of Safieddine could significantly impact Hezbollah’s leadership structure, given that he has long been seen as a possible successor to Nasrallah, who has led Hezbollah for over three decades.
Israel’s focus on Safieddine follows its historical strategy of targeting Hezbollah’s leadership as part of its broader goal to weaken the group’s influence in Lebanon and across the Middle East. Hezbollah, supported by Iran, has long been a thorn in Israel’s side, with its military wing posing a significant threat to Israeli security.
The death of Hassan Nasrallah earlier this week, reportedly at the hands of Israeli forces, was a significant blow to Hezbollah. As his cousin and close confidant, Safieddine has been viewed as the most likely candidate to take over the leadership mantle, given his extensive experience in Hezbollah’s political and military operations.
What’s Next?
It remains to be seen whether Israel successfully eliminated Safieddine in Thursday’s airstrikes. However, if confirmed, his death would mark another high-profile assassination in Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah’s leadership. Safieddine’s role as a key figure within the organization and his deep ties to both Hezbollah’s military activities and Iran make him a crucial target for Israel.
With Hezbollah already facing the loss of its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, the potential death of Safieddine could create a leadership vacuum within the organization. This could lead to internal power struggles, affecting Hezbollah’s ability to operate effectively, while also straining its relationship with Iran.
Whether or not Safieddine was killed, his targeting signals that Israel remains committed to dismantling Hezbollah’s leadership and weakening its military capabilities in Lebanon. For Hezbollah, the loss of key leaders like Safieddine and Nasrallah may force the organization to reassess its strategies and leadership structure as it navigates an increasingly hostile environment.
