Hezbollah experiences communication breakdown with potential successors of Nasrallah
After the assassination of Hezbollah leader Nasrallah, his successor's identity remains uncertain. A week following an airstrike in Beirut on a Friday, there's been no contact with a notable contender for the leadership position, Hischam Safi al-Din. Al-Jazeera news channel reported this based on information from Lebanese security sources and Hezbollah insiders. According to a senior Hezbollah member, the communication line with Safi al-Din was severed following Israeli airstrikes in Beirut's southern suburbs.
Nader Hashemi, a Middle East studies professor at Georgetown University, commented to Al-Jazeera that losing contact with Safi al-Din was "another significant setback" for Hezbollah, possibly foreshadowing his potential demise. Safi al-Din, a relative of Nasrallah, was seen as a strong contender for the Secretary-General position, which Nasrallah held before his untimely death in an Israeli attack down south of Beirut.
As the leader of Hezbollah's Executive Council, Safi al-Din plays a crucial role in steering the organization's political, organizational, and social objectives. He is Nasrallah's maternal cousin.
On Friday, both the U.S. news outlet "Axios" and Israeli portal "Ynet" reported, based on sources from the Israeli government, that the Israeli attacks in Beirut's southern district had been directed at Safi al-Din. However, the Israeli army has not confirmed these allegations.
The uncertainties surrounding Nasrallah's successor have led to the following paragraphs shall apply, as the identity of the new leader becomes increasingly crucial in steering Hezbollah's political, organizational, and social objectives. The absence of contact with Hischam Safi al-Din, a strong contender for the leadership position, after the airstrike, further complicates these matters.
