Israel can’t confirm death of Hezbollah’s Safieddine: spokesperson

JERUSALEM: Israel does not have confirmation that the potential successor to the slain Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has died, a government spokesperson said on Monday following reports that he was targeted in an Israeli air strike last week.

Asked if Israel could confirm the death of Hashem Safieddine, spokesperson David Mencer told an online briefing: “We don’t have that confirmation yet. When it is confirmed, as and when, it will be on the IDF (Israeli military) website.”

Safieddine is one of Hezbollah’s founding members and in 1998 became the head of Hezbollah’s executive council, the same position his cousin, Hassan Nasrallah, held before becoming the groups Secretary General. Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Dahiyeh last week.

Also read: Who is Hashem Safieddine? Nasrallah successor targeted in strike

Apart from overseeing Hezbollah’s political affairs, he also manages the groups military operation though a seat on the Jihad council. Despite no confirmation of his succession, he is widely thought to take over leadership of the group.

In the wave of strikes launched on Thursday, 15 Hezbollah fighters were killed.  Lebanon’s Health Ministry has stated that the days of heavy Israeli bombardment has killed more than 1000 people.