Hezbollah confirms death of Hashem Safieddine, who was widely expected to be group’s next leader

HEZBOLLAH HAS CONFIRMED that Hashem Safieddine, one of its leading figures who was widely expected to succeed Hassan Narallah, was killed in an Israeli air strike.

The announcement came a day after Israel said it had killed Safieddine in a strike earlier this month in Beirut’s southern suburbs.

Safieddine, who was a cousin of Nasrallah, had been widely viewed as the most likely candidate for the party’s top job after the assassination of Nasrallah on 27 September in a huge Israeli air strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs.

A black-turbaned cleric with a thick grey beard, he was known for defiant speeches in which he vowed that Hezbollah would keep fighting Israel no matter the price.

He was a member of the group’s decision-making Shura Council and its Jihad Council, which acts as its military command. He also headed its Executive Council, which runs schools and social programmes.

Despite the lack of formal announcement following Nasrallah’s death, it was widely known that Safieddine was already in control and running the group’s affairs, although the official acting leader was his deputy, Naim Kassem.

It is not clear who will end up taking Hezbollah’s top job now, especially since another leading candidate, Nabil Kaouk, was also killed in an Israeli strike hours after Nasrallah’s death.

One month on

Israel unleashed a wave of air strikes on southern Beirut last night, Lebanese state media said, as the Israel-Hezbollah war reached its one-month mark.

With six buildings levelled in at least 17 Israeli raids, the strikes marked one of the most brutal nights in the capital’s southern suburbs since the war erupted on 23 September.

Since 23 September, at least 1,580 people have been killed in Lebanon, according to a tally of Lebanese health ministry figures.

However, the real number is likely to be higher due to gaps in the data.

The fighting has driven 1.2 million people from their homes, including more than 400,000 children, according to the UN children’s agency.

On the Israeli side, attacks have killed around 60 people, half of them soldiers.

Near-daily rocket barrages have also emptied communities across northern Israel, displacing 60,000 people.

‘Violence has to stop’

Tánaiste Micheál Martin will today attend the ‘International Conference in Support of Lebanon’s People and Sovereignty’ in Paris.

A Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said the “meeting aims to demonstrate critically needed international support for Lebanon”.

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Invited participants include EU Member States, States in the region, G20 members with the exception of Russia, UN bodies, the World Bank, and NGOs working in Lebanon.

The spokesperson added that discussions will focus on the need for a diplomatic solution to the current conflict, encourage pledges for humanitarian relief, and affirm support for Lebanese institutions, including the Lebanese Armed Forces.

The Tánaiste also announced additional funding of €2 million for humanitarian assistance to Lebanon.

Martin remarked that the humanitarian situation in Lebanon is “catastrophic”.

“The international community has a responsibility to respond,” he added

Martin said this additional €2 million is on top of €1 million announced in support of UN’s High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) for Lebanon last month.

This brings to €7 million Ireland’s support for Lebanon this year.

This new funding will be channelled through the UN’s Lebanon Humanitarian Fund.

Martin said this fund “plays a critical role in supporting international and local organisations already responding where needs are greatest, and in the hardest to reach areas”.

Meanwhile, Martin said today’s meeting in Paris “comes at a critical time for Lebanon”.

“The scale of the death, destruction and displacement we are witnessing is completely unacceptable,” said Martin.

He called for an “immediate ceasefire and de-escalation across the region”.

Martin said he has “repeatedly condemned Hezbollah for its attacks on Israel and its malign role in Lebanon” but added that “massive airstrikes on densely populated areas and the Israeli ground incursion are resulting in a shocking level of civilian casualties”.

“Israel has an obligation to abide by international humanitarian law,” said Martin, “I call on it to do so.”

Martin added that he will highlight the role UNIFIL continues to play in Lebanon during the meeting.

“Attacks on UNIFIL peacekeepers or posts are completely unacceptable and a serious violation of international humanitarian law,” said Martin.

“Israel has an obligation to protect peacekeepers and its actions are in breach of international humanitarian law.”

-With additional reporting from Press Association

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