Hassan Nasrallah's heir 'unreachable' after Israeli strikes in Lebanon: Report

Uncertainty looms over Hezbollah as Hashem Safieddine, the successor to Hassan Nasrallah, remains reportedly unreachable after an Israeli airstrike targeted Beirut.

In Short

• Hezbollah chief's heir apparent unreachable since Israeli attack
• No confirmation on his fate by Lebanon or Israeli forces
• Israeli strike hits Tripoli in north Lebanon, official says

The fate of Hashem Safieddine, the successor to slain Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, remains unclear as he has been reportedly unreachable since he was targeted in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon's Beirut on Friday.

"Safieddine had been unreachable since the strike on Friday," news agency Reuters reported, citing sources.

The report further stated that ongoing Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburb Dahiyeh since Friday have kept rescue workers from scouring the site of the attack.

On late Thursday night, Israel launched a powerful series of airstrikes on Beirut, marking one of the heaviest bombardments in the area since the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. According to reports, the strikes are believed to have occurred while Hashem Safieddine, a senior Hezbollah official and Nasrallah heir, was attending a meeting with other leaders in an underground bunker.

The Reuters report, citing sources close to Hezbollah, stated that Safieddine was severely injured in the strikes.

However, neither Hezbollah nor the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have confirmed whether Safieddine is dead or alive.

Israeli Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani said that the military was still assessing the Thursday night airstrikes, which he said targeted Hezbollah's intelligence headquarters.

Israel escalated its military operations in Lebanon on Saturday, launching its first strike on the northern city of Tripoli, according to a Lebanese security official. The recent attack came after a series of additional airstrikes targeted Beirut suburbs, while Israeli ground forces carried out raids in southern Lebanon.

WHO IS HASHEM SAFIEDDINE?

Hashem Safieddine, designated a terrorist by the US, is a key Hezbollah leader involved in its political and military operations. A cousin of Hassan Nasrallah, he's seen as the terror group's second-in-command with close ties to Iran. Safieddine is also a member of the Hezbollah's Jihad Council.

Nasrallah had entrusted Hashem Safieddine with numerous influential roles within the organisation's leadership councils, including some less visible but strategically important positions.

Safieddine has also frequently served as a public voice for Hezbollah, acting as a spokesperson on various occasions.

Many of Hezobollah's senior military leadership, including secretary general Hassan Nasrallah, were killed in an airstrike at the terror group's headquarters in the heart of Beirut on September 27.