READ HERE: The question of succession looms large. Any new leader would need to be acceptable to both Hezbollah’s internal factions and its Iranian backers. Currently, Hashem Safieddine is viewed as the likely heir to Nasrallah.
Safieddine, who oversees Hezbollah’s political affairs and is a member of the group’s Jihad Council, is also Nasrallah’s cousin and shares a clerical background. The US State Department designated him a terrorist in 2017.
Nasrallah had been grooming Safieddine for leadership through various positions within the organisation. His familial ties, physical resemblance to Nasrallah, and religious status would all contribute to his potential leadership.