Hezbollah has confirmed the death of Hashem Safieddine, a prominent leader and potential successor to the group’s former head, Hassan Nasrallah.

The announcement came following a series of Israeli airstrikes that targeted the Lebanese group.

Hezbollah declared in a statement, “We pledge to our great martyr and his martyred brothers to continue the path of resistance and jihad until achieving its goals of freedom and victory.” The statement underscored the group’s commitment to its longstanding agenda amidst rising tensions in the region.

Safieddine, who had been out of contact since an Israeli airstrike on the Dahiyeh neighborhood of Beirut several weeks ago, was reportedly killed during the strike. The Israeli military confirmed the attack, stating that bunker-buster bombs were used, similar to those deployed in the strike that killed Nasrallah on September 27.

As the chairman of Hezbollah’s Executive Council, Safieddine held a significant position within the organization. He was also a cousin of the late Nasrallah, who had led the group for over two decades. Al Jazeera’s Dorsa Jabbari, reporting from Beirut, highlighted that Safieddine's name had only recently gained prominence as a likely successor to Nasrallah, raising concerns about the group’s leadership stability following this latest loss.

A Lebanese security source noted that there was a “sense of urgency” among Lebanese and Hezbollah officials to allow rescue teams access to the affected area to retrieve bodies following the attack.

With the assassination of Safieddine, questions arise about the future leadership of Hezbollah. Jabbari emphasized that many commanders within the group remain largely unknown to the public, leaving the organization’s succession plans shrouded in uncertainty.