Hezbollah is facing a crisis after losing contact with senior leader Hashem Safieddine following an Israeli air strike in Beirut’s Dahiyeh neighborhood. Safieddine, who was seen as a possible successor to the slain leader Hassan Nasrallah, was reportedly inside Hezbollah’s underground intelligence headquarters during the attack. There is a sense of urgency to retrieve bodies from the strike, and the lack of contact with Safieddine indicates an intelligence breach within the group, allowing Israel to target key leaders.
The loss of contact with a potential successor to Nasrallah is a significant setback for Hezbollah, according to analysts. The Israeli military confirmed that the strike targeted Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters, but Hezbollah has not officially commented on Safieddine’s status. Israel has been carrying out intense bombing campaigns in Lebanon in an effort to secure the safe return of its nationals to their homes in northern Israel.
The situation has escalated with Israel launching a limited ground operation in southern Lebanon and intensifying air strikes in the area and Beirut’s southern suburbs. This has resulted in casualties on both sides, with nine Israeli soldiers reported killed in ground clashes with Hezbollah fighters. The intense bombardment has led to over 2,000 people killed and 1.2 million displaced in Lebanon. This ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah is raising concerns about the stability and security of the region.
Source
Photo credit www.aljazeera.com