Will Hashem Safieddine's targeting cast shadow over Nasrallah's symbolic funeral

Hours before a symbolic funeral for slain Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah is set to be held today, an Israeli airstrike in Beirut targeted his cousin, Hashem Safieddine. But will the strike on Hashem Safieddine impact Nasrallah's symbolic funeral today?

In Short

• Hashem Safieddine reportedly targeted in Israeli airstrike in Beirut
• This came hours before Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah's symbolic funeral today
• Burial plans for Hassan Nasrallah remain uncertain amid Middle East tensions

Hashem Safieddine, widely considered to be the next head of Hezbollah after his cousin Hassan Nasrallah's was killed in an Israeli airstrike last month, was targeted in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut as the Jewish nation ramped up its offensive against the Iran-backed terror group. The targeted strike came just hours before a symbolic funeral for Nasrallah is set to be held today.

With the escalating tensions in the Middle East and now Hashem Safieddine being targeted in the Israeli strike, the symbolic funeral of a person with a stature like Nasrallah can cause potential repercussions. Israel has been hot on the heels of Hezbollah and with Hashem Safieddine, who has not been seen in public since Nasrallah's killing, now being targeted, Nasrallah's symbolic funeral faces uncertainty and external pressures.

Nasrallah's symbolic funeral is meant to fortify his image and legacy among his supporters. However, any perceived threat to the group's leadership structure could undermine this image. Supporters of Nasrallah may perceive Hashem Safieddine's targeting as an act of aggression against their collective identity and could galvanise further support for Hezbollah's cause.

At the same time, it might also expose vulnerabilities and provoke introspection within the group's ranks, which may affect the overall tone of Nasrallah's symbolic funeral.

Designated as a terrorist by the US State Department since 2017, Hashem Safieddine is the head of Hezbollah's executive council, which oversees the group's political affairs, according to news agency Reuters. He is also a member of the Jihad Council, which manages the outfit's military operations.

Interestingly, Hashem Safieddine's son Ridha Safieddine is married to Zeinab Soleimani, the daughter of Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani who was killed in a US drone strike at Baghdad International Airport on January 3, 2020.

One cannot forget the massive explosions that rocked Iran's southeastern city of Kerman on January 4 and killed nearly 100 people when thousands had gathered to commemorate Qassem Soleimani. Iran had blamed the US and Israel for the blasts, though the Islamic State terror group later claimed responsibility. On January 6, 2020, a symbolic funeral for Soleimani was held in Iran and also parts of Syria and supporters chanted "death to America, death to Israel".

Qassem Soleimani had an influential presence in Syria, where he backed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces and helped to shape the country's military strategies in the civil war and the Islamic State terror group.

With the twin explosions in Iran fresh in their minds, supporters of Hezbollah could be wary of being targeted in a similar manner given the security situation in Beirut with Israeli bombardments continuing in the Lebanese capital's southern suburbs. Dahiyeh is a Hezbollah stronghold, and where the group's headquarters was targeted in an Israeli airstrike last month, which killed Nasrallah and other top commanders of the group.

Given the Israeli onslaught against the leadership of the 'Axis of Resistance', a proper send-off for Nasrallah may not be possible right now, given the protracted nature of the conflicts in the Middle East. However, a discreet, but befitting burial for Nasrallah could be held when the situation improves, with a proper religious ceremony being organised later.

Recently, Abdul Amir Al Teiban, an adviser to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani, said that Nasrallah could be buried in Karbala next to Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Mohammad, who was martyred and buried.

It is to be seen how Hezbollah will finalise a proper burial place and a religious ceremony to commemorate Nasrallah. If Hashem Safieddine is indeed killed in the Israeli airstrike, it would only prolong the conflict between the Iran-backed group and the Jewish nation. With Israel relentless in its campaign to wipe out Hezbollah's top leadership, both sides will continue to strike each other.