Hezbollah on Wednesday confirmed that Hashem Safieddine, a top official who was expected to be the next leader of the Lebanese militia and political party, was killed in Israeli airstrike, according to The Associated Press.

Hashem Safieddine, the top Hezbollah official widely expected to succeed slain secretary general Hassan Nasrallah, was killed in an Israeli attack, the group said Wednesday.

Israel claims to have killed Hashem Safieddine, heir apparent to slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, in an early October airstrike on southern Beirut.