Hezbollah has replaced a senior security official, Wafiq Safa, who led the group's Liaison and Coordination Unit for decades, as part of an internal restructuring following its recent conflict with Israel. Two Hezbollah officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the change on Friday, stating that Safa had expressed a desire to step down from his role.
Safa's replacement is Hussein Abdullah, a relatively unknown figure within the organisation. The Liaison and Coordination Unit, which handled ties with Lebanon's security agencies, has also seen some of its powers redistributed to other departments, according to one of the officials. The exact nature of Safa's new position within the Iran-backed group remains unclear.
The restructuring comes after a 14-month war with Israel that significantly weakened Hezbollah and resulted in the deaths of many of its political and military leaders. The conflict began on October 8, 2023, when Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel in solidarity with Hamas, following the latter's attack on southern Israel. Israel responded with a widespread bombardment of Lebanon in September 2024, followed by a ground invasion.
Safa, one of Hezbollah's most prominent figures, had previously led indirect negotiations for prisoner exchanges with Israel, most notably in 2004 and 2008. He also faced controversy, including threats to the judge investigating the 2020 Beirut port explosion and US Treasury sanctions imposed in 2019. Despite being targeted in an Israeli airstrike in October 2024, Safa survived and made subsequent public appearances.
