Israeli strike on Beirut could be Hezbollah leader

According to TASS news agency on October 4, Al Hadath TV channel reported with reference to Israeli sources that the target of the Israeli Air Force's attack on the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon on the evening of October 3, could be the head of the Hezbollah Executive Committee, Hashim Safi al-Din - who is considered one of the leading candidates to replace Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah.

According to Axios, Hashim Safi al-Din was in an underground bunker at the time of the attack and his whereabouts have not yet been confirmed.

Hashim Safi al-Din is a cousin of Hezbollah Secretary General Nasrallah and oversees domestic political affairs. He is also a member of the operations headquarters responsible for military operations.

Previously, the New York Times also wrote that Hashim Safi al-Din could become the new leader of Hezbollah after the death of his relative Nasrullah.

Prior to that, the Israeli Air Force carried out more than 15 attacks on Beirut International Airport. The attacks focused on areas where Hezbollah facilities and supporters of this organization live.

Since October 1, Israel has announced the start of a ground campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon. More than 1.2 million Lebanese have been forced to leave their homes. Tens of thousands of refugees have fled to neighboring Syria.

Despite losses, including in command personnel, Hezbollah continues to wage ground battles. The Israel Defense Forces also reported deaths and injuries among Israeli soldiers involved in the operation in southern Lebanon.

At the same time, Hezbollah has continued to fire rockets at Israel, and their range has increased significantly in recent days. Dozens of rockets are reported daily in densely populated areas of Israel, sometimes hitting residential buildings.

The main goal of Israel's military operation is to “bring back the residents of the north” who were displaced by Hezbollah shelling.