Hezbollah Rejects Claims Regarding Successor to Nasrallah
Hezbollah has dismissed claims that Hashem Safieddine, the head of the Executive Council, is set to succeed Hassan Nasrallah as secretary-general. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Several media outlets have reported that Hashem Safieddine, head of Hezbollah's Executive Council, has been appointed as the new secretary-general of the organization.
Hezbollah has responded to these reports, denying that Lebanese cleric Safieddine would succeed the late Hassan Nasrallah as the group’s secretary-general.
On Sunday, Al Arabiya and Al Hadath reported that Hezbollah’s Shura Council had selected Safieddine to take over for Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli strike on Beirut a few days prior.
Having led Hezbollah's Executive Council since 2001, Safieddine has often been viewed as the “number two” in the organization. At 60 years old, he is also related to Nasrallah as his cousin and is the son-in-law of the former commander of the Iranian Quds Force, Qassem Soleimani, who was killed by an American airstrike in Iraq in 2020.
The New York Times, citing Israeli officials, reported that an announcement about Safieddine as Hezbollah’s new secretary-general could be forthcoming, as he was one of the few senior leaders not present during the Israeli attack in Beirut. The publication characterized him as “a key player in the movement’s political and social work,” noting that he has long been considered a potential successor to Nasrallah.
However, Hezbollah sought to downplay the speculation surrounding Safieddine’s elevation, with Al Manar quoting the group as saying that the “news circulated by some media outlets about organizational procedures within the Hezbollah leadership after the martyrdom of… the Secretary-General is of no importance and cannot be relied upon.” The organization emphasized that authentic information can only come from official statements.
Israeli officials previously claimed that recent airstrikes targeting Hezbollah had significantly diminished the group's military leadership, asserting that more than a dozen senior members had been killed in recent weeks. The loss of Nasrallah was regarded as a particularly heavy blow, given his leadership for over 30 years, during which he guided the group's ascent to power and became known as a staunch adversary of Israel.
Mark B Thomas for TROIB News
Hezbollah has responded to these reports, denying that Lebanese cleric Safieddine would succeed the late Hassan Nasrallah as the group’s secretary-general.
On Sunday, Al Arabiya and Al Hadath reported that Hezbollah’s Shura Council had selected Safieddine to take over for Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli strike on Beirut a few days prior.
Having led Hezbollah's Executive Council since 2001, Safieddine has often been viewed as the “number two” in the organization. At 60 years old, he is also related to Nasrallah as his cousin and is the son-in-law of the former commander of the Iranian Quds Force, Qassem Soleimani, who was killed by an American airstrike in Iraq in 2020.
The New York Times, citing Israeli officials, reported that an announcement about Safieddine as Hezbollah’s new secretary-general could be forthcoming, as he was one of the few senior leaders not present during the Israeli attack in Beirut. The publication characterized him as “a key player in the movement’s political and social work,” noting that he has long been considered a potential successor to Nasrallah.
However, Hezbollah sought to downplay the speculation surrounding Safieddine’s elevation, with Al Manar quoting the group as saying that the “news circulated by some media outlets about organizational procedures within the Hezbollah leadership after the martyrdom of… the Secretary-General is of no importance and cannot be relied upon.” The organization emphasized that authentic information can only come from official statements.
Israeli officials previously claimed that recent airstrikes targeting Hezbollah had significantly diminished the group's military leadership, asserting that more than a dozen senior members had been killed in recent weeks. The loss of Nasrallah was regarded as a particularly heavy blow, given his leadership for over 30 years, during which he guided the group's ascent to power and became known as a staunch adversary of Israel.
Mark B Thomas for TROIB News
