Hezbollah reportedly appoints new secretary general after Nasrallah's death

Hezbollah has appointed Hashem Safieddine as the new Secretary General following the death of Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike.

Safieddine, a prominent Hezbollah leader and cousin of Nasrallah, was chosen by the group’s executive council to lead the organisation after the deadly strike in Beirut’s Dahieh suburb on September 27, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Nasrallah was reportedly killed in a massive Israeli air raid that targeted his underground bunker complex, where he had been staying. According to sources, Nasrallah died of suffocation in an unventilated bunker, with his body recovered intact from the rubble. The attack, which also killed several senior Hezbollah commanders, marks a significant escalation in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

Safieddine, born in 1964 in Deir Qanoun en-Nahr near Tyre, southern Lebanon, has long been considered Nasrallah’s likely successor. A senior figure in Hezbollah, he heads the group's executive council and serves on its powerful Shura and Jihad councils. Safieddine has deep ties to Iran, having studied theology in Najaf, Iraq, and Qom, Iran, alongside Nasrallah. His close relationship with the Islamic Republic, Hezbollah’s primary backer, has cemented his position within the group.

The US and Saudi Arabia have designated Safieddine as a terrorist, imposing sanctions and freezing his assets. He is also related by marriage to Iran’s late General Qasem Soleimani, with Safieddine's son married to Soleimani’s daughter. His strong ties to Tehran and his leadership role in Hezbollah make him a crucial figure in the group’s continued operations.

Safieddine was reportedly selected as Nasrallah's successor by Iran years ago, according to a 2008 report by Shargh al-Awsat, citing a former senior Hezbollah commander. His leadership will be critical as Hezbollah faces mounting pressure amid escalating tensions with Israel.

Meanwhile, according to Israeli media, Hezbollah denied a report by the Saudi channel Al Hadath that the organization's Shura Council has chosen a replacement for Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli strike on the Dahiya neighbourhood in Beirut.

“We make it clear that all reports about our organizational procedures are invalid and should not be relied upon,” the Shura Council said in an official statement. "Only official documents on the matter should be relied upon.”

By Khagan Isayev