Hezbollah confirms death of its leader Hashem Safieddine

Beirut, Oct 23 (IANS) Hezbollah on Wednesday issued a statement mourning Hashem Safieddine, head of Hezbollah's Executive Council, who Israel said earlier was killed in an airstrike on Beirut three weeks ago.

Safieddine was killed in a bombing carried out by Israeli warplanes on Beirut's southern suburb, the Israeli military confirmed on Tuesday.

The attack targeted a building where, according to Israel, Hezbollah's main underground intelligence headquarters were located, Xinhua news agency reported.

Safieddine was a cousin of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. After Israel assassinated Nasrallah in September, Safieddine was widely presumed to be the successor.

Safieddine was also a member of the Shura Council, Hezbollah's highest military-political body, responsible for decision-making and setting the group's policies.

The Israeli military has confirmed that Hashem Safieddine, the head of Hezbollah's Executive Council, was killed in an airstrike on Beirut three weeks ago.

Safieddine was killed in a bombing carried out by Israeli warplanes on Beirut's southern suburb, the Israeli military said in a statement on Tuesday.

The military said that about 25 senior Hezbollah commanders were present in the building during the attack but did not clarify whether they survived.

"We have reached Nasrallah, his successor, and most of Hezbollah's leadership," Herzi Halevi, Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, said following the announcement of Safieddine's killing.

"We will know how to reach anyone who threatens the security of Israel's citizens."

Since September 23, the Israeli army has been launching intensive airstrikes on Lebanon in an escalation with Hezbollah.

Israel has been intensifying raids and shelling in southern and eastern regions of Lebanon, as well as Mount Lebanon and the southern suburbs of Beirut.

In addition, Israel announced the launch of a ground operation near the border with southern Lebanon earlier this month.