In a recent interview, Israeli Defense Minister Gallant raised the possibility that Hashem Safieddine, widely regarded as the potential successor to the late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, may have been killed during Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon last week. In a pre-recorded statement released on October 8, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu confirmed that Israeli forces had taken out Nasrallah’s successor, although he did not specifically name Safieddine.

Sources suggest that Safieddine, who is a senior official within Hezbollah and a cousin of Nasrallah, was viewed as the likely candidate to lead the organization after Nasrallah’s death. However, since the airstrikes over the weekend, there has been no public communication from Safieddine.

Netanyahu claimed that Israel has substantially debilitated Hezbollah’s capabilities, asserting that thousands of terrorists have been eliminated, including both Nasrallah and his anticipated successor. Still, he did not clarify if Safieddine was indeed among the deceased.

During his visit to an Israeli military command center in the north, Gallant expressed his belief that Hezbollah is now leaderless. He stated that with Nasrallah gone and potentially Safieddine as well, the militant group lacks the decision-making and operational power it once had.

Hezbollah has yet to respond to these assertions. Prior to Gallant’s remarks, Hezbollah’s Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem addressed the situation in a television appearance, acknowledging the significant challenges the group has faced from Israel but insisting that their operational capabilities remain strong. He pointed out that several Israeli cities are still within the range of Hezbollah’s missiles. However, Qassem also mentioned the organization’s support for Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri’s efforts to negotiate a ceasefire.