Israel says Hezbollah leader Nasrallah's likely successor Hashem Safieddine killed

Israel's military confirmed late on Tuesday that it had killed top Hezbollah official Hashem Safieddine, considered the heir apparent to late Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed last month in an Israeli attack targeting the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group. 

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that Safieddine was killed in a strike approximately three weeks ago in Beirut's southern suburbs.

The confirmation of Safieddine's death comes after weeks of reports that he was likely killed in a bomb strike in early October. 

Hezbollah had yet to comment on Israel's claim.

"We have reached Nasrallah, his replacement and most of Hezbollah's senior leadership," Israeli army chief Lieutenant General Herz Halevi said. "We will reach anyone who threatens the security of the civilians of the State of Israel."  

The IDF said that the head of the militant group's intelligence branch was among several other commanders killed in the attack in the southern Dahiyeh suburb of Beirut.