Who will be the new leader of Hezbollah after Nasrallah? After 32 years, only one name is being mentioned.

The Israeli army announced the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Following his 32-year leadership, there is curiosity about how the organization will respond to Nasrallah's death. It is rumored that Nasrallah's cousin, Hashim Safieddine, could be the new leader.

CONFIRMATION OF NASRALLAH'S DEATH

The Israeli Army announced that Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an airstrike targeting the Dahiye area in southern Beirut last night. After remaining silent for a while, Hezbollah confirmed Nasrallah's death with a written statement in response to the Israeli Army's claim. Israeli intelligence services had also raised the claim of Nasrallah's death last night, but Hezbollah denied this news, stating that Nasrallah was safe.

NASRALLAH'S COUSIN MAY BE THE NEW LEADER

Following the confirmation of Hassan Nasrallah's death, it remains uncertain how Hezbollah will respond to this assassination, while it is anticipated that the assassination could escalate the risk of a regional war involving Iran. However, there are also comments suggesting that the organization does not want to enter a major conflict that could provoke Israeli retaliation. Scenarios are being discussed in which Nasrallah's cousin, Hashim Safieddine, could become the new leader of Hezbollah. Safieddine is a member of the "Jihad Council," which manages Hezbollah's political affairs.

WHO IS HASAN NASRALLAH?

64-year-old Hassan Nasrallah, known for wearing a black turban symbolizing his status as a Shia cleric, took over after the assassination of previous Hezbollah leader Abbas Musawi by Israel in 1992 and had avoided public events due to fears of assassination. Nasrallah, who led the organization for 32 years, is seen as a figure who strengthened Hezbollah's militia wing with ballistic missiles capable of threatening Tel Aviv.

HEZBOLLAH'S INFLUENCE EXTENDED BEYOND LEBANON'S BORDERS

As the leader of Iran's most powerful militia group, Nasrallah extended Hezbollah's influence beyond Lebanon's borders. It is believed that Hezbollah militants played a significant role in keeping the Syrian government afloat after the uprisings and civil war that began in Syria in 2011. Under Nasrallah's leadership, Hezbollah also provided military support to Hamas militants and Iranian militias in Iraq and Yemen.

LIVED IN SECLUSION SINCE 2006

It is known that Nasrallah has avoided public events and phone usage since the 2006 Lebanon War. The 2006 Lebanon War, which began when Hezbollah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid, ended with both sides declaring victory after 34 days of conflict. According to experts, after the war, Hezbollah gained sympathy in the Arab world and took on an increasingly active role in regional conflicts.

HE WAS DEFENDING A SINGLE PALESTINIAN STATE

Born in Beirut in 1960, Nasrallah is known to have grown up in a neighborhood inhabited by Christian Armenians, the Druze community, Palestinian Arabs, and Shia Muslims. He briefly studied at a madrasa in Qom, Iran, in 1989 and is known to have at least three children. Advocating for the liberation of Jerusalem, Nasrallah described Israel as a "Zionist entity," arguing that all Jewish immigrants should return to their countries of origin and that a single Palestinian state should be established instead of the State of Israel.

"STATE WITHIN A STATE"

During a period when Lebanon was struggling to emerge from a long civil war, it is known that Nasrallah largely financed by Iran, built institutions including "state within a state" structures, hospitals, schools, and other social services. Since the war that began after the October 7, 2023 attack in Gaza, Hezbollah, under Nasrallah's leadership, has entered into a conflict involving mutual rocket and artillery attacks with Israel. However, it is believed that Hezbollah has not fully activated its arsenal due to the public's desire to avoid the possibility of a new war, affected by Lebanon's economic problems.

In his last television address on September 19, Nasrallah blamed Israel for the radio and pager explosions that resulted in the deaths of 37 people and injuries to thousands, stating that retaliation would be forthcoming.