Following the elimination of Fuad Shukr, the group’s chief of staff, a succession battle is underway at the top of Hizbullah.
Talal Hamiyah, commander of Unit 910, is the leading candidate to fill this critical role. However, his appointment requires approval from Iran, and surprises may yet emerge.
One of the pressing questions for Israeli and Western intelligence agencies is who will succeed Fuad Shukr.
In his speech on August 26, 2024, Hassan Nasrallah did not disclose the identity of Shukr’s permanent replacement. It is possible that no decision has been made yet or that Hizbullah is concealing the successor’s identity to prevent another targeted assassination by Israel.
According to Western intelligence sources, Hassan Nasrallah has temporarily appointed Ali Karaki, the commander of Hizbullah’s southern front, to the position of chief of staff to ensure that operations against Israel continue uninterrupted.
Since the start of the war, Israel has eliminated several key Hizbullah commanders, including those leading the Radwan, Aziz, and Nasser units.
However, Karaki’s temporary appointment has sparked a succession battle within Hizbullah, with opposition from figures like Ebrahim Aqil (Akil), head of Hizbullah operations, and other senior officials.
Shiite sources in Lebanon indicate that appointing a permanent replacement for Fuad Shukr requires coordination with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
It is believed that Nasrallah will seek a veteran with a history of “Jihad against Israel” to fill the role. However, finding a figure comparable to Imad Mughniyeh and Fuad Shukr—both of whom were eliminated—will be challenging.
Lebanese Shiite sources suggest that Talal Hamiyah, also known as Abu Jaafar, is the leading candidate to succeed Shukr.
Hamiyah, of Baalbek origin, currently commands Hizbullah’s Unit 910 and is a member of the Jihad Military Council. He was a close associate of Imad Mughniyeh and served as his deputy until Mughniyeh’s assassination.
Unit 910 is responsible for orchestrating terrorist attacks abroad, including those targeting Jewish sites in Argentina.
Hamiyah was placed on the U.S. terrorist list in 2012, with a $7 million bounty on his head.
Other names mentioned in the succession race include Ali Karaki, currently serving as Shukr’s temporary replacement, and Ibrahim Aqil, head of the Radwan Unit and a member of the Jihad Council.
Aqil was involved in the 1983 attacks against American forces in Lebanon and holds a significant position within Hizbullah. Like Hamiyah, he is also on the U.S. terrorist list with a $7 million bounty, and Israel has made several unsuccessful attempts to eliminate him.
Another potential candidate is Muhammad Haider, a senior advisor to Nasrallah responsible for Hizbullah’s smuggling network and drug industry, particularly the production of Captagon, in coordination with Maher al-Assad, brother of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Maher al-Assad, who commands Syria’s 4th Division, is a notorious drug dealer, often referred to as the “Pablo Escobar” of the Middle East.
Khader Nader, commander of Hizbullah’s Unit 900—its secret police force—also emerges as a senior candidate. Nader controls Beirut’s international airport and its weapons depots.
The selection of Fuad Shukr’s successor will be conducted secretly by Hizbullah’s Shura Council, similar to how Hamas chose Ismail Haniyeh’s successor after his elimination by Israel.
Ultimately, the decision will rest with Nasrallah and the commanders of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
It is not out of the question that Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei might send Iran’s Quds Force commander, Ismail Qa’ani, to Beirut to finalize the decision with Nasrallah.
Surprises could still occur in this closely watched succession battle.
