Hassem Safientin, the top official of Hezbollah who was expected to succeed slain Hassan Nasrallah, was killed in an Israeli attack, the group confirmed Wednesday. “His Eminence Mr. Hashem Safedin was a martyr on his way to Jerusalem,” the statement stressed.

Hezbollah confirmed that Safientin was killed in an Israeli airstrike.

According to Reuters, Safientin had been running Hezbollah alongside its deputy secretary general Naim Qassan since Nasrallah’s assassination, and was expected to be formally elected as its next secretary general, although no official announcement had been made.

A relative of Nasrallah, Safientin was a member of the organisation’s Jihad Council – the body responsible for its military operations. He also headed its executive council, which oversaw Hezbollah’s financial and administrative affairs.

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