Israel says Hezbollah’s next expected leader was killed earlier this month

Hashem Safiddin, a senior Hezbollah official expected to take control of the Lebanese militia and political party, was killed in an airstrike earlier this month, Israeli officials said.

On October 3, US and Israeli media reported that Safiddin was the target of an Israeli strike in Beirut earlier that week. Israeli officials said Safiddin was injured in the air attack, although no reports indicated that the Hezbollah official was killed.

The Israeli military said Tuesday that Safiddin was killed in a strike earlier this month in the southern suburbs of Beirut, along with about two dozen other Hezbollah leaders. There has been no confirmation from the militant group regarding Safiddin’s death.

Last month, Israeli forces killed longtime Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in an airstrike in the southern Beirut suburb of Haret Hreik. He was 64 years old.

Safiddin is Nasrallah’s cousin and has headed Hezbollah’s executive council for more than two decades. He is seen as a likely successor to lead the group as its conflict against Israel escalates in Lebanon.

Israel has killed several senior Hezbollah leaders in recent months. The strikes have also devastated communities in southern Lebanon. Israel says it is targeting Hezbollah-controlled targets that include civilians.

The conflict between Israel and Hamas also continues in the Gaza Strip. Israeli officials said last week that it has killed one group leader Yahya Sinwar last week. The Israel Defense Forces said Sinwar was responsible for the Oct. 7 attack, which killed about 1,200 people in Israel and captured about 250 others.

More than 42,000 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip since Israel declared war following the Hamas attack, according to Palestinian health authorities.

On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made his 11th trip to the Middle East since the war between Israel and Hamas began. The US State Department said Blinken pressured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “to capitalize on” Sinwar’s killing and end the conflict “in a way that provides lasting security for both Israelis and Palestinians.”

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller added in a statement that Blinken “emphasized the need for Israel to take additional steps to increase and maintain the flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza and ensure that assistance reaches civilians throughout Gaza.”

Newsweek On Tuesday, he emailed the US State Department for comment.

Update 10/22/24 6:07 PM ET: This article has been updated with additional information.