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Middle East conflict

Israel confirms elimination of head of Hezbollah leader’s successor Safieddine

The IDF said it would continue to act against senior Hezbollah commanders

TEL AVIV, October 23. /TASS/. Israel has officially confirmed the death of head of Hezbollah Executive Council Hisham Safieddine who was believed to succeed Nasrallah as the Hezbollah leader.

"The IDF (Israel Defense Forces - TASS) can now confirm that Hisham Safieddine, Head of Hezbollah Executive Council, and Ali Hussein Hazima, Commander of Hezbollah’s Intelligence Headquarters, were eliminated by the IDF, along with additional Hezbollah commanders," the IDF said. "The terrorists were eliminated in a strike carries out approximately three weeks ago in the area of Dahieh, a key Hezbollah terrorist stronghold in Beirut."

"The IDF will continue to operate against senior Hezbollah commanders and anyone who poses a threat to Israeli civilians," it stressed.

Israel delivered a pinpoint airstrike on Hezbollah intelligence headquarters on October 3. According to the Ynet news portal, as many as 73 tons of munitions were dropped on the targets. Contact with Safieddine was lost after this raid. However there has been no evidence of his death until now.

Israel has been delivering massive airstrikes on Hezbollah military targets in Lebanon since September 23, when it launched Operation Northern Arrows. Israel’s declared goal is to create safe conditions in the country’s northern areas so that tens of thousands of local residents could return to their homes. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was reportedly killed in Israel’s strike on Beirut on September 27. In the early hours of October 1, Israel announced the launch of a ground operation in Lebanon’s border areas.

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