The assassination of Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in airstrikes on Friday in a Beirut neighborhood has shifted attention to Hashem Safieddine, widely seen as his successor.

The Iran-supported militant group confirmed that Nasrallah, who had been at the helm for 32 years, was killed in Friday’s attack. Now, Hezbollah must grapple with the task of appointing a new leader in the wake of one of the most intense assaults it has endured in its 42-year history.

Safieddine, in his role as head of the executive council, is responsible for overseeing Hezbollah’s political strategies. He is also a member of the Jihad Council, which directs the group’s military operations.

Safieddine is a relative of Nasrallah and, like him, is a cleric who dons the black turban, symbolizing an alleged lineage from Islam’s Prophet Mohammed.

In 2017, the US State Department designated Safieddine as a terrorist, and in June, following the assassination of another Hezbollah commander, he warned of significant retaliation against Israel.

Safieddine’s speeches frequently echo Hezbollah’s support for the Palestinian cause.

At a recent gathering in Dahiyeh, Hezbollah’s power base in Beirut’s southern suburbs, he proclaimed, “Our history, our guns and our rockets are with you” to express solidarity with Palestinian militants.

“Nasrallah started assigning him to various positions within different Hezbollah councils, some of which were quite obscure. They’ve had him appear, speak publicly,” explained Phillip Smyth, a specialist in Iran-backed Shiite militant groups.

Safieddine’s close family connection to Nasrallah, his similar appearance, and his religious status as a descendant of Mohammed all work in his favor.

He has also been outspoken in his opposition to US policies. In 2017, responding to mounting American pressure on Hezbollah, he remarked, “This mentally impeded, crazy US administration headed by [Donald] Trump will not be able to harm the resistance.”

{Matzav.com Israel}