Lebanese Security Source: No News on Potential Successor to Hassan Nasrallah Since Friday

Reuters reported on Saturday, October 14, citing a Lebanese security source, that there has been no news on Hashem Safi al-Din, the potential successor to former Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, since Friday. Meanwhile, some Israeli media reported that Ismail Qaani, commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was likely in Beirut at the time of the Israeli attack. Axios news agency, citing three Israeli officials, reported that Israel targeted a underground shelter where Safi al-Din was hiding during its heavy attacks on Hezbollah positions on Thursday night. The aforementioned Lebanese source and two other security sources from the country stated that ongoing Israeli attacks on the southern suburbs of Beirut since Friday have prevented rescuers from searching the attacked location. As of the time of this report, Hezbollah, the group supported by the Islamic Republic, has not commented on the attack against Hashem Safi al-Din. Israeli Colonel Nadav Shoshani stated on Friday that the Israeli army is still assessing the airstrikes from Thursday night, which he claimed targeted Hezbollah's intelligence headquarters. The potential death of Hashem Safi al-Din would be another blow to Hezbollah and its supporter, the Iranian government. In recent weeks, Israel has conducted deadly attacks against Hezbollah's leadership, eliminating the leadership of this Iranian proxy group. Some Israeli media, including Channel 12, have noted that Ismail Qaani was likely in Beirut during the Israeli attack. On Saturday, Israel targeted the predominantly Sunni port city of Tripoli in northern Lebanon for the first time. A Lebanese security source told Reuters that in this attack on a Palestinian refugee camp, a female Hamas member and her two children were killed. Hamas media also confirmed that a commander of Hamas's military branch was killed in this attack. The Israeli army has not yet commented on this attack. The suburbs of Beirut and southern Lebanon were heavily targeted by Israeli attacks on Saturday. In addition to deadly attacks against Hezbollah's leadership, Israel has recently conducted limited and targeted ground attacks on Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon. Following the terrorist attack by Hamas on October 15, which resulted in 1,200 deaths and over 250 hostages, Hezbollah began rocket and drone attacks on northern Israel. As a result of Hezbollah's attacks on northern Israel, tens of thousands of Israeli citizens living in this area have been forced to leave their homes. In response to Hezbollah's rocket fire, Israel has carried out deadly attacks against this Iranian proxy group's positions in Lebanon and Syria, killing hundreds of Hezbollah members, including the group's leader and many of its senior military commanders. Israeli officials have stated that operations against Hezbollah will continue until they are sure that thousands of displaced Israelis can safely return to their homes in northern Israel and the Lebanon border. The Times of Israel reported the return of an Iranian plane from Iraqi airspace following warnings from the Israeli army. The crisis in the Middle East continues; 150 airstrikes by Israel and 180 rockets fired by Hezbollah within 24 hours. A Reuters report on the sensitive conditions in the Middle East; has the countdown to war begun? On Friday night, Hezbollah faced heavy Israeli attacks; Biden called for preventing a widespread war. Israel reported an attack on Hezbollah's intelligence headquarters in Beirut and the killing of 'Mohammad Youssef Anisi'. A widespread exodus of foreign citizens from Lebanon coincided with Israeli attacks. Bombing in central Beirut; Netanyahu promised victory over the 'Axis of Evil' of the Islamic Republic. Confirmation of the death of Hassan Nasrallah's son-in-law, a key figure in the transfer of weapons from Iran to Lebanon and Syria.