Israel claims major blow to ailing Hezbollah leadership
Israel has killed Hashem Safiedine, who was considered a potential successor to the group's leader Hassan Nasrallah, who also died in an Israeli attack—Hezbollah is at its weakest in years—announced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "Our resources are intact," stated one of the organisation's leaders, Naim Qassem.
9 October 2024 07:11
Israeli services reported the elimination of Hashem Safiedine, a top leader of Hezbollah, who was considered a successor to the group's leader, Hassan Nasrallah.
Fighting in northern Israel, triggered by regular Hezbollah attacks, is intensifying, and the decisions of the authorities in Jerusalem indicate a tightening of the conflict. "Hezbollah is at its weakest in years," Netanyahu stated in his speech.
Hezbollah's losses: are the organisation's resources intact?
Hashem Safiedine, according to Israeli sources, was eliminated on the night from Thursday to Friday. Meanwhile, Hassan Nasrallah, the long-time leader of Hezbollah, died during an Israeli airstrike on Beirut, which took place on 27 September.
According to media reports, Hezbollah, although it has not confirmed Safiedine's death, remains in a difficult situation. Prime Minister Netanyahu, in his speech directed to the Lebanese, emphasised: "Today, Hezbollah is weaker than it has been for many, many years." He also called to Lebanese: "Take back your country, you can return it to a path of peace and prosperity."
In response to these words, one of Hezbollah's leaders, Naim Qassem, assured in a televised statement: "Our resources are intact." Qassem also informed that the organisation supports efforts to secure a ceasefire, although he did not address any potential requirements for a truce in the Gaza Strip.
Regular shelling and mutual retaliatory actions
Hezbollah began regular shelling of northern Israel on 8 October 2023 in response to the outbreak of fighting between Hamas and Israel the previous day. These actions resulted in numerous Israeli counterstrikes, which have intensified in recent weeks. For a week, Israel has also been conducting a ground offensive in southern Lebanon, attempting to limit the activities of fighters supported by Iran effectively.
"We've degraded Hezbollah's capabilities. We took out thousands of terrorists, including Nasrallah himself and Nasrallah's replacement, and the replacement of the replacement," emphasised Netanyahu.
Despite these actions, Hezbollah continues to carry out massive rocket attacks on Israel. On Tuesday, about 105 missiles were launched at Haifa, most of which were intercepted by Israeli air defence. As a result of constant shelling, approximately 60,000 civilians had to leave the northern part of Israel, significantly affecting the destabilisation of life in these areas.
