Who is Hashem Safieddine, the next big Hezbollah leader targeted by Israel?

Safieddine strengthened his ties with Iran during his religious studies in the city of Qom and returned to Lebanon to work for Hezbollah.

Israeli fighter jets unleashed a barrage of airstrikes in southern Beirut around midnight of October 3 in the hunt for high-profile target Hashem Safieddine, a cousin and presumed successor to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in Israeli airstrike earlier this week. While the October 3 bombardment was one of the heaviest seen in the region since Nasrallah's assassination, the fate of Safieddine, who was believed to be attending a meeting with senior Hezbollah officials at the time, remains uncertain.

This attempt on Safieddine's life notes Israel's ongoing strategy to dismantle the Hezbollah leadership. The airstrikes follow a recent invasion by Israel into southern Lebanon, marking a sustained effort to weaken the militant group that has long posed a threat to its borders.

A Closer Look at Hashem Safieddine

Safieddine was born in the early 1960s in southern Lebanon and is one of the earliest members of the Lebanese militant outfit. He joined the group in the 1980s, shortly after it was formed with Iranian support during the civil war in Lebanon. He quickly rose through the ranks alongside Nasrallah, taking on various roles as a political, spiritual, and military leader of the group.

Often seen wearing a black turban, Safieddine is recognised as a Shiite cleric, claiming descent from the Prophet Muhammad, according to New York Times. His rise within Hezbollah is notable. By 1995, he was part of the Consultative Assembly, the group’s highest governing body, and later led the Jihadi Council, which oversees military operations, and was elected to head the Executive Council in 1998, a role once held by Nasrallah.

Safieddine strengthened his ties with Iran during his religious studies in the city of Qom and returned to Lebanon to work for Hezbollah.

Connections to Iran and Terrorist Designation

Safieddine was a close friend of Major General Qassim Suleimani, who led the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force until he was killed in a US airstrike in 2020. That same year, Safieddine's son married Suleimani’s daughter in a high-profile wedding, symbolising the close ties between Hezbollah and Iran. The US Treasury Department has labelled Safieddine’s brother Abdallah as Hezbollah’s representative to Iran.

In May 2017, the US designated Hashem Safieddine as a terrorist for his prominent role in Hezbollah, describing him as a serious threat to national security.

Hezbollah is accused of carrying out multiple attacks against Americans, including the deadly bombings of the US Embassy and Marine barracks in Beirut in 1983, the bombing of the US Embassy Annex in 1984, and the hijacking of TWA flight 847 in 1985.

What Does Targeting Safieddine Mean?

The implications of targeting a key figure like Safieddine are significant. If Israel's strikes are successful, they could disrupt Hezbollah's leadership and change the group's dynamics. As Israel continues its campaign against Hezbollah, the international community is closely watching, aware that these actions could reshape the future of the region.