Israeli Defense Minister Gallant Calls Safieddine, Substitute For Hezbollah Leader Nasrallah, Possibility Of Death

Defense Minister Gallant met with North Command Commander IDF Major General Ori Gordin on Tuesday. (Source: Ministry of Defense/Ariel Hermoni)

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Hezbollah senior official Hashem Safieddine, one of the candidates to replace the late Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Hezbollah group, was most likely killed in an attack in Beirut last week.

"Hezbollah is an organization without a leader, Nasrallah was killed, his successor may also be killed. This has a dramatic impact on everything that happens. No one has made a decision, no one has acted," Defense Minister Gallant said during a visit to Israel's Northern Command Defense Forces (IDF) on Tuesday., reported The Times of Israel October 8th.

Defense Minister Gallant said Hezbollah's weapons capabilities also suffered a crushing blow.

"The actions we are taking are being observed across the Middle East. When smoke in Lebanon disappears, they will realize in Iran that they have lost their most valuable asset, namely Hezbollah," he added.

Previously, Israel could not confirm whether Hashem Safieddine, the successor to Hezbollah leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, had been killed. Safieddine was targeted by Israeli airstrikes last week.

"We haven't received that confirmation yet. If confirmed, how and when, then it will be published on the IDF website (Israeli military)," said spokesman David Mencer, quoted by Reuters.

Separately, a Hezbollah official told Reuters on Sunday that Israel was blocking search and rescue efforts in the area where Safieddine was expected to be when Israel bombed Beirut's southern suburbs on Thursday last week.