Following the killing of Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah by the Israeli army, discussions have begun about who will take over the organization. Hashim Safieddine, whose name has been mentioned as Nasrallah’s successor, is expected to become the new leader of Hezbollah. Nasrallah’s death in an Israeli air strike in a suburb of Beirut has shifted focus to Safieddine, who was seen as his heir.
The Iran-backed group confirmed that Nasrallah, who had been leading for 32 years, was killed in the attack on Friday. Hezbollah is now faced with the challenge of selecting a new leader after the heaviest blow it has ever faced in its 42-year history. Safieddine, who survived the Israeli attacks, is Nasrallah’s cousin.
He oversees the political affairs of Hezbollah as the chairman of the Executive Council and also serves on the Jihad Council, which manages the organization’s military operations. The U.S. Department of State designated Safieddine as a terrorist in 2017. Following the killing of a Hezbollah commander in June, Safieddine warned Israel and said at the funeral, “The enemy should prepare to cry and scream.”
At an event recently held in the Hezbollah stronghold of Dahiye in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Safieddine showed solidarity with Palestinian fighters, stating, “Our history, our weapons, and our rockets are with you.” It is known that Safieddine has vocally criticized U.S. policies.
In response to the American pressure on Hezbollah, in 2017 he stated, “This mentally handicapped, crazy U.S. administration under Trump’s presidency will not be able to harm the resistance,” and said that such actions would only strengthen Hezbollah’s resolve.