Israel can't confirm death of Hezbollah's Safieddine, spokesperson says

Israel does not have confirmation that Hashem Safieddine, the potential successor to the slain Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, has died, a government spokesperson said on Monday following reports that he was targeted in an Israeli air strike last week.

Asked if Israel could confirm the death of Hashem Safieddine, spokesperson David Mencer told an online briefing: "We don't have that confirmation yet. When it is confirmed, as and when, it will be on the IDF (Israeli military) website."

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Saffieddine is widely expected to succeed the group's slain leader Hassan Nasrallah who was killed in an Israeli airstrike.

Earlier, a source close to Hezbollah confirmed to AFP that Hezbollah was "trying to reach the underground headquarters that were targeted, but every single time Israel starts striking again to impede rescue efforts."

Safieddine "was with Hezbollah's head of intelligence," known as Hajj Murtada, when the strikes took place, he said.

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