Hezbollah confirms death of senior commander in line to replace Hassan Nasrallah

The Israeli military says it eliminated a Hezbollah commander who was widely expected to take control of the terrorist organization.

Israel said it killed Hashem Safieddine, a powerful cleric who was expected to succeed Hassan Nasrallah, in an airstrike earlier this month. The strike killed some 25 other senior Hezbollah members, the Israel Defense Forces said.

A spokesman for Hezbollah confirmed Safieddine’s death, saying he had “joined his brother, our most noble and precious martyr,” Nasrallah.

The news comes as Secretary of State Antony Blinken finishes up a visit to Israel this week. Blinken spent Tuesday meeting with Israeli officials, and multiple projectiles were intercepted over the hotel he was staying at.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office called his meeting with Blinken, which lasted more than two hours, “friendly and productive.”

Blinken will depart Israel later Wednesday for Saudi Arabia, where he will continue negotiations.

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Israeli forces have continued to rain down airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, again striking the neighborhood where Safieddine was killed on Tuesday.

Flames and smoke rise from an Israeli airstrike on Dahiyeh in the southern suburb of Beirut on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)

Blinken encouraged Israeli officials to “capitalize” on the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar to push for an end to the war in Gaza and the release of the remaining hostages.

Hezbollah has also kept up its barrage of rockets into northern Israel. The terrorist group also claimed credit for a drone attack that damaged Netanyahu’s home.

The strikes come as speculation grows over how Israel will retaliate for Tehran’s Oct. 1 ballistic missile attack on Israel.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi insisted Tehran’s neighbors would not allow their territory to be used for such an assault and that it would strike back just as hard.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s regime is weighing how to respond to Iran’s Oct. 1 wave of missiles. (Ohad Zwigenberg/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

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“All the neighbors assured us that they will not allow their lands and air to be used against Iran,” Araghchi said, according to the state-run IRNA news agency. “This is an expectation from all friendly and neighboring countries, and we consider this a sign of friendship.”

Fox News’ Stephen Sorace and The Associated Press contributed to this report.