Israel Military Has Killed Hezbollah Chief Nasrallah's 2 Likely Successors, Netanyahu Claims

Hezbollah acting head Sheikh Naim Kassem had earlier said in a video message that its top leadership continues to direct the war, and that commanders killed by Israel have already been replaced.

The Israeli military has killed two potential successors of Hassan Nasrallah, the head of the Hezbollah who died in a strike on Beirut last month, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Tuesday. The statement came after Israel expanded its ground offensive against the Iran-backed group, with a fourth army division deployed in south Lebanon. 

"We've degraded Hezbollah's capabilities. We took out thousands of terrorists, including (Hassan) Nasrallah himself and Nasrallah's replacement, and the replacement of the replacement," Netanyahu said, without naming them, according to the Associated Press.

Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and several of his top commanders have died in Israeli airstrikes that have targeted large parts of Lebanon.

Earlier on Tuesday, the militant group’s acting head, Sheikh Naim Kassem, said in a video message that its top leadership continues to direct the war, and that commanders killed by Israel have already been replaced. “We have no vacant posts,” he said. Kassem also mentioned that Hezbollah will appoint a new leader to succeed Nasrallah, though the process is proving challenging due to the ongoing war.

According to AP, Hashem Safieddine, a cousin of Nasrallah who oversees the group’s political affairs, is generally regarded as the leader’s heir apparent. However, no official announcement has been made, and Safieddine has not appeared publicly or made any statements since Nasrallah’s death. 

Netanyahu said Hezbollah was “weaker than it has been for many, many years”. Israel's military said on Tuesday that heavy airstrikes against underground Hezbollah installations in southern Lebanon over the preceding 24 hours had killed at least 50 fighters, including six sector commanders and regional officials, as per a Reuters report.

The heightened regional tensions kindled a year ago by the Palestinian armed group Hamas' attack from Gaza on southern Israel have escalated in recent weeks to engulf Lebanon. As per Reuters, on October 1, Iran, the sponsor of Hezbollah and Hamas missile strikes against Israel, issued a warning to Israel, cautioning them against carrying out threats of retaliation.