Israel confirmed that it had killed Hashem Safieddine, a Hezbollah official who was expected to become the militant group’s next leader, in an airstrike outside Beirut. Safieddine was seen as the successor to Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in a previous Israeli attack. The Israel Defense Forces stated that Safieddine was killed in an airstrike on Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters in Dahieh, Beirut, along with Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters commander, Ali Hussein Hazima. Israel’s offensive in Lebanon has killed many Hezbollah members, including top leaders, leaving the group in disarray.
Safieddine, who was designated a terrorist by the U.S. in 2017, was believed to be around 60 years old. He had oversight over Hezbollah’s financial and administrative affairs and sat on its Jihad Council overseeing military operations. Israeli strikes continued in southern Beirut, including one that targeted a residential building containing Hezbollah facilities. Safieddine’s death confirmation coincided with Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Israel, where he reaffirmed the U.S.’s commitment to Israel’s security and discussed efforts to deter Iranian aggression, secure the release of hostages in Gaza, and increase humanitarian aid flow to Gaza.
Blinken’s visit was briefly disrupted by rocket fire from Hezbollah intercepted by Israel. The discussions also focused on ending the fighting in Gaza and Lebanon, as well as ensuring the release of hostages and preventing further aggression from Iran. The U.S. confirmed that Sinwar’s death, the Hamas leader responsible for launching the 2023 terrorist attack on Israel, created an opportunity for peace and securing the release of hostages.
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