Israel said Thursday night it launched airstrikes against a top Hezbollah official, Hashem Safieddine, in Beirut, marking the heaviest attack since the conflict reignited in the latest developments between both countries. The attack targeted the southern suburbs of Lebanon's capital, where Iran-aligned Hezbollah is based. A senior Hezbollah figure and the widely assumed heir to assassinated leader Hassan Nasrallah, Safieddine was at the scene when a top leaders' conference was in session when the airstrike occurred, Reuters reported.
Israeli Airstrikes On Beirut
Late Thursday night, Israel attacked Hezbollah with a series of intense airstrikes in southern suburbs of Beirut. The attack is one of the most violent bombardments in the region since the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah became heated. Strikes were reportedly targeting a meeting of Hezbollah's top officials, including Hashem Safieddine. According to Lebanese media outlets, the airstrikes were even more potent than those that killed Nasrallah earlier in the conflict.
The Israeli military later said it had targeted Hezbollah's intelligence headquarters in Beirut, though there was no official word on the number of casualties, as Lebanese authorities reported major damage, and the blasts were heard for miles, toppling buildings across the city.
Safieddine: Nasrallah's Successor
He is seen as the successor of Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah's ex-president, who was assassinated by Israeli war aircraft. Safieddine is one of Hezbollah's main leaders who oversees political and military affairs. He serves as a member of Hezbollah's Jihad Council, with direct responsibility in Hezbollah's strategic planning and coordination. His close ties with the Iranian regime have further increased his significance within Hezbollah.
As of 2017, Safeidinne was designated as a terrorist by the United States, and Saudi Arabia followed suit. His influence within the group has gradually been on the rise over time, and the fact that Nasrallah has gradually started assigning him to key positions makes him de facto second-in-command. The latest Israeli airstrike targeting him confirms his position within the group as well as the broader military context of Israeli operations to dismantle Hezbollah's leadership.
Hezbollah's Silence And Israel's Continued Offensive
Despite all that went down, Hezbollah has not made a comment on the Israeli airstrike, or indeed targeting Safieddine. These people tend not to say anything ahead of checking things out properly, something not often done in the world of modern media and news.
Also, in another turn, Israel accepted responsibility for the killing of another high-ranking Hezbollah official named Mohammed Anisi through another airstrike. Anisi was reportedly part of the development process of precision-guided missiles by Hezbollah. Precision-guided missiles have been one of Israel's concerns as it tries to downsize Hezbollah's military might.
Ground Raids And Warning To Beirut Residents
Along with the airstrikes, Israel's military announced that it had launched 'ground raids' into southern Lebanon, a Hezbollah stronghold. The raids follow days of heavy bombardment in areas across Lebanon, especially where Hezbollah has vast influence.
Earlier in the day, Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee issued an urgent alert to residents in Beirut's southern suburbs to evacuate in advance of the strikes. He published maps of the Burj al-Barajneh and Hadath areas alongside evacuation orders given that the Israeli army had already warned that Hezbollah's facilities in those neighborhoods are prime targets.
International Reactions And Escalation Of Humanitarian Crisis
The killing has exceeded 1,000 and hundreds of thousands have been displaced in Lebanon, all as the situation deteriorates. Israel's military attacks began in Gaza but have spread into Lebanon, with tensions all over the region developing. Escalation has followed months of low-intensity cross-border skirmishes between Hezbollah and Israel, but the level and ferocity of the attacks in this last one enter a new dimension for the conflict.
The increasing trend of civilian casualties has troubled the international and humanitarian communities, and the potential destabilization of the region through further destabilization activities is very much at risk. In the context of the current military campaign led by Israel, Hezbollah's response will dictate the further course of the conflict.