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Safi al-Din Died of Suffocation After Three Days Under Rubble
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Hezbollah's loss of prominent leaders in a short period reflects the magnitude of painful strikes received by the organization
Video clips spread on "X" platform today, Thursday, showing the shrouded body of Hezbollah's Executive Council Chairman Hashim Safi al-Din through Iranian media outlets, following the party's official announcement of his death yesterday.
The video footage showed Safi al-Din's turban. He was the most prominent candidate to succeed the party's former Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, who was assassinated by Israel on September 27.
Al-Arabiya/Al-Hadath sources revealed that Safi al-Din did not die immediately from Israeli raids on the Mreijeh area in Beirut's southern suburb on October 10, as he had taken shelter under one of the buildings.
Safi al-Din's death circumstances were similar to Nasrallah's, as he died of suffocation after surviving between one to three days along with seven party members, while information at the time and an account from one of the paramedics indicated that Nasrallah died of suffocation without physical injuries.
Israel has escalated its operations in Lebanon since last September, targeting multiple areas, especially the southern suburb, Hezbollah's main stronghold, in addition to areas in the South and Eastern Bekaa.
Israeli operations succeeded in delivering painful blows to the party through a series of assassinations, led by Nasrallah's elimination in Haret Hreik, and Ali Karaki, the Southern Front commander, on September 23.
This was preceded by the assassination of Fouad Shukr, one of the party's founders and prominent military leaders, in an attack on the suburb on July 30, followed by the elimination of his successor Ibrahim Aqil, commander of the Radwan Unit, along with 16 of its members on September 20.
The assassinations later targeted Ibrahim Qubaisi, commander of the Missile Unit on September 25, Mohammad Srour, commander of the Air Unit the following day, in addition to Nabil Qaouk, Central Council member and security official on September 28.
The fate of Wafiq Safa, the party's coordination and liaison official, remains unclear after Israel confirmed targeting him in raids on the Nweiri area in Beirut.
Levant-Agencies
