Wafiq Safa: Fate of Hezbollah ‘Interior Minister’ Unclear After Israeli Strike

Wafiq Safa, known as “The Ghost,” “The Shadow Man,” and “The Security Chief,” is a key Hezbollah figure. 

On October 10, 2024, the Israeli Occupation army claimed responsibility for an airstrike in central Beirut targeting Safa, resulting in 18 deaths and 92 injuries.

However, Reuters, citing anonymous Lebanese security sources, reported that Wafiq Safa survived the assassination attempt. 

The strikes, three in total, were in Beirut: one in the Nuweiri area, another at the Khatam al-Anbiya complex, and a third near Bechara el-Khoury.

Hezbollah MP Amin Sherri denied that Safa was in the areas targeted by the Israeli strikes, adding that they do not use civilians as human shields, according to the Lebanese news outlet Elnashra.

Critical Condition

While reports about Safa’s fate remain conflicted, Saudi media claimed that he was in critical condition following a severe injury from the airstrike in a densely populated residential area in Beirut, Asharq al-Awsat said on October 11.

On the same day, Saudi state-owned al-Arabiya channel reported that Safa suffered a serious neck injury, with slim chances of survival. However, as of October 13, these claims had not been confirmed by Lebanese officials.

Regarding the airstrikes targeting Safa, The Guardian reported on October 11 that remnants of the bombs found at the Nuweiri and Basta areas revealed new details about the strike.

The report identified the bomb fragments as Jdam, a product of the American company Boeing, which converts large unguided bombs, weighing up to 2,000 pounds (900 kg), into GPS-guided munitions.

“The bolt pattern, its position, and the shape of the remnant are consistent with the tail fin of a US-made, Jdam, guidance kit for Mk80 series air-dropped munitions,” said Richard Weir, a senior researcher in Human Rights Watch’s crisis, conflict and arms division, after viewing a photograph of the fragment. 

The Mk80 series encompasses three classes of bombs, the smallest of which is 500lbs and the largest is 2,000lbs.

Weir emphasized that using such weapons in densely populated areas poses a severe risk to civilians and residential buildings.

JDAM munitions, in particular, have been one of the most sought-after American bombs by “Israel,” having been deployed in both Lebanon and Gaza, according to the report.

Human Rights Watch’s Crisis, Conflict and Arms Division, alongside a former U.S. military bomb technician, confirmed the identification of these bomb fragments.

Security Man

Wafiq Safa, Hezbollah's “Security Chief,” was born in 1960 in the town of Zibdeen in southern Lebanon. He joined Hezbollah during its early founding stages in 1984.

By the late 1980s, Safa became the head of Hezbollah's security committee, later became the Liaison and Coordination Unit. He is considered one of the most pivotal and mysterious figures in the party, due to his significant role on both security and political levels.

Safa manages Hezbollah’s external relations and security, playing a key role in numerous negotiations, both within Lebanon and across the region. Despite his limited media presence, his name has surfaced in various major security and political issues in Lebanon.

Following the withdrawal of Syrian forces from Lebanon in 2005, Safa’s prominence grew. He became instrumental in reorganizing Hezbollah’s security apparatus after the Syrian exit, leveraging the power vacuum to expand his influence, not only in security but also politically.

In 2018, prosecutors in the case of the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri presented evidence implicating Safa. He was in close contact with Hezbollah officials on the eve of the 2005 assassination, with his phone records and those of Mustafa Badreddine (the prime suspect) placing them in the same area.

In September 2021, Safa made headlines after reportedly threatening Judge Tarek Bitar, the lead investigator in the Beirut port explosion case, vowing to remove him, following accusations implicating Hezbollah-affiliated parties in the incident.

Known as “The Ghost” due to his rare public appearances, Safa continues to wield considerable power within Hezbollah and in Lebanon as a whole. He heads Hezbollah’s security apparatus and is often referred to as the party’s “Minister of Defense” or “Minister of Interior.”

Safa is also one of Hezbollah's top negotiators, handling key files within and outside Lebanon. One of his notable successes was overseeing the secret negotiations for the 2008 prisoner exchange with “Israel.”

In March 2024, Hezbollah announced that Liaison and Coordination Unit Chief Wafiq Safa visited the UAE to follow up on the case of Lebanese detainees. He met with officials involved in the case, expressing hope for a favorable resolution.

U.S. Sanctions

In July and September 2019, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on two Lebanese Members of Parliament representing Hezbollah, Amin Sherri, and Mohammad Raad, as well as Hezbollah security official Wafiq Safa.

According to a statement from the Treasury Department, Safa is considered one of the closest allies of the party's former Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, who appointed him head of the security committee (Liaison and Coordination Unit) in 1987.

Safa maintains strong ties with key Hezbollah financiers, such as Lebanese businessman Adham Tabaja, who was added to the U.S. sanctions list in 2018 after being designated a terrorist by Saudi Arabia in 2015.

He has exploited ports and border crossings to smuggle goods and facilitate travel for Hezbollah, jeopardizing the safety and security of the Lebanese people. He has also been involved in facilitating procedures and providing services for Hezbollah affiliates at Beirut Airport and border crossings.

Safa has also drained customs duties and revenues away from the Lebanese government. The U.S. Treasury Department's statement highlighted that Hezbollah has benefited from Safa's efforts to facilitate the illicit transport of various materials, including drugs and weapons, through the Port of Beirut.

The prominent Hezbollah figure has been accused of embezzling up to $350 million, in addition to his involvement in drug trafficking and money laundering.

In 2010, some Hezbollah members accused him of financial corruption and other crimes.

Safa was originally a member of the Lebanese Shiite movement Amal but was expelled in the early 1980s due to his loyalty to the Shiite leader Hussein al-Musawi.

He is considered a member of the cell involved in facilitating the 1983 barracks bombings in Beirut, alongside fellow leader Ibrahim Aqil, before joining Hezbollah in 1984.