Netanyahu says Israel killed Nasrallah's successor

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday suggested Israel had killed Hezbollah's most senior figure Hashem Safieddine, according to a video message he addressed to the Lebanese people.

If confirmed, it would represent represent another major blow to the Iran-backed group as Israel steps up its invasion of southern Lebanon.

Safieddine, a cousin of slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and deemed his likely successor, was not present at the underground site where Nasrallah and several top Hezbollah commanders were killed in an Israeli airstrike.

"We have degraded Hezbollah's capabilities. We took out thousands of terrorists, including Nasrallah himself, and Nasrallah's replacement, and his replacement's replacement," Netanyahu said in his video address Tuesday. He did not name Safieddine.

“Today, Hezbollah is weaker than it has been for many, many years. Now, you, the Lebanese people, you stand at a significant crossroads. It is your choice. You can take back your country, you can return it to a path of peace and prosperity,” Netanyahu said.

Israel has repeatedly killed top Hezbollah leaders in air strikes after maiming and killing hundreds of its rank and file members in explosions targeting their pagers and walkie talkies.

The Israeli military said that it had targeted Safieddine had been killed in an airstrike on Beirut. Hezbollah has yet to comment on his fate.

Safieddine led Hezbollah's executive council. His brother, Abdullah, is Hezbollah's representative in Iran, and his son Redha is married to the daughter of Iran's Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleimani, who was killed by a US drone strike in 2020.

Over 1,000 Lebanese have been killed since Israel stepped up its attacks last month - a death toll that is already higher than that of a 34-day war the foes last fought in 2006.