Informed sources told Reuters that Hezbollah accepted the resignation of senior security official Wafiq Safa on Friday, a first of its kind.

Safa, who heads the Hezbollah Liaison and Coordination Unit responsible for working with Lebanese security agencies, survived an Israeli assassination attempt in October 2024.

Who is Wafiq Safa?

Safa is a senior Hezbollah official considered a "mysterious" figure due to his significant role in the party on both security and political levels.

He was born in September 1960 in the town of Zabdin in southern Lebanon.
He joined Hezbollah from its early founding stages in 1984 and has since held the position of head of the party's security committee for a long period.

Safa is a key figure in managing Hezbollah's external and security relations and has played a major role in numerous negotiations, both domestically in Lebanon and regionally, including prisoner exchange operations between Hezbollah and Israel. 

Despite his rare media appearances, his name has arisen in many important security and political cases in Lebanon.

Positions and responsibilities

Safa held the position of the head of Hezbollah's security committee and was the main official for security operations and coordination with Lebanese security agencies, as well as regional and international entities.

Safa was known as the mastermind behind prisoner exchange operations between Hezbollah and Israel, enhancing his influence within and outside the party.

He also manages coordination with all judicial and security agencies in Lebanon, making him the link between the party and the Lebanese state.

Relationships
Safa had strong relationships with political leaders in Lebanon, most notably Gebran Bassil, head of the Free Patriotic Movement. Thanks to these relationships, Safa was able to act as a mediator between Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement during critical times, known for his ability to calm situations and restore order. 

Role in negotiations
Safa was known as one of the most important negotiators in the party, managing several negotiation files with various parties in and outside Lebanon. His most prominent successes were the meticulously and secretly managed prisoner exchange operations.

Safa was highly efficient and secretive in handling sensitive files, qualities that made him a pivotal figure within Hezbollah.

Career developments
After the withdrawal of Syrian forces from Lebanon in 2005, Safa's importance increased as he was a key part of the party's security restructuring after this event. He used this vacuum to expand his influence, not only in the security aspect but also politically, becoming an influential figure in the Lebanese arena in general.

His name came to prominence during Hezbollah's objection to the investigation by judicial investigator Tarek Bitar in the Beirut blast case and his famous threat to the latter.

There were talks about an Israeli attempt to assassinate him during the last war by targeting a building in the Noueiry area west of the capital, Beirut, resulting in 22 casualties, but Safa did not admit to being in the building during the attack.