Reuters: Hezbollah appoints Hussein Abdullah as successor to Wafiq Safa

SadaNews - A source told Reuters that the Lebanese Hezbollah has appointed Hussein Abdullah as the successor to Wafiq Safa at the head of the communication and coordination unit in the organization.

Informed sources mentioned that Hezbollah accepted the resignation of its prominent security official Wafiq Safa last Friday, marking the first instance of its kind.

Safa, who led the communication and coordination unit in Hezbollah responsible for liaising with Lebanese security agencies, survived an Israeli assassination attempt in October 2024.

One of the sources indicated that the resignation and its acceptance were part of an "internal restructuring" following the losses Hezbollah suffered in last year's war with Israel, adding that southern commander Hussein Abdullah was appointed as Safa's successor.

According to sources close to Hezbollah, Safa's resignation comes amid "internal disputes" within the party, a step that may accelerate the pace of organizational changes within the group.

Safa, who media reports indicated was born in 1960, was considered an influential figure within the party during Hassan Nasrallah's leadership.

Safa oversaw the negotiations that led to the 2008 agreement in which Hezbollah exchanged the remains of Israeli soldiers captured in 2006 for Lebanese prisoners in Israel.

It is noteworthy that Lebanon and Israel agreed to a ceasefire mediated by the United States in 2024 to end cross-border shelling between Israel and Hezbollah that lasted over a year, which peaked with Israeli airstrikes that severely weakened the Iran-backed armed group. Since then, the two sides have traded accusations of violating the ceasefire.

Lebanon faces increasing pressure from the United States and Israel to disarm Hezbollah. Hezbollah leaders fear that Israel may escalate its airstrikes on Lebanon to push its leaders to hasten the seizure of the group's arsenal.