Israel Targets Hezbollah’s Financial Arm And Begins Striking Beirut

Israel’s military declared on Sunday that it will now target the financial arm of Hezbollah, which is based in Lebanon. The military will engage in a “significant number of targets” in Beirut and other locations. An hour later, explosions erupted in the southern suburbs of Beirut.

Southern Beirut, the eastern Bekaa valley, and portions of southern Lebanon were all subject to evacuation warnings. Strikes were observed in the vicinity of Lebanon’s sole airport in an Associated Press video; however, it continued to function.

A senior Israeli intelligence official stated that the strikes will target al-Qard al-Hassan “all over Lebanon.” The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity in accordance with army regulations, stated that Al-Qard al-Hassan is a Hezbollah unit that is utilized to compensate operatives of the Iran-backed militant group and assist in the procurement of weapons.

The registered nonprofit organization, which is sanctioned by the United States and Saudi Arabia, offers financial services and is also utilized by the general public in Lebanon. Hezbollah has employed the term “the benevolent loan” in Arabic to solidify its support among the Shiite population in a nation where state and financial institutions have failed in recent years.

David Asher, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and a specialist in illicit financing, stated, “It is a significant event.” Asher has previously worked at the U.S. Defense and State Departments.

“AQAH is a cash-based organization.” He stated that the cash would be rendered useless in the event of strikes, and he also mentioned that it maintains substantial accounts with major Lebanese banks.

In a statement, Al-Qard al-Hassan referred to the decision to target it as a manifestation of Israel’s “bankruptcy” and reassured customers that it had implemented “measures” to guarantee the safety of their funds. The areas surrounding its branches in Beirut were evacuated by a steady stream of individuals.

A single target was mislabeled by the Israeli military in an evacuation notice for the Choueifat region south of Beirut, resulting in confusion and panic. The theater was located in an upscale shopping mall in central Beirut, more than 10 kilometers (6 miles) away, and was designated as Grand Cinema ABC Verdun.

Last month, tensions between Israel and Hezbollah regarding the Gaza conflict escalated to the point of full-scale war after a year of frequent cross-border fire. Israel deployed ground troops into Lebanon at the beginning of this month.

A day after U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin urged Israel to reduce the number of strikes, particularly in and around Beirut, and referred to the civilian casualties in Lebanon as “far too high” in the Israel-Hezbollah war, Israel made its announcement.

According to the Lebanese army, three soldiers were killed in an Israeli strike.

Israel has intensified its attacks on the Dahiyeh, a densely populated residential area in southern Beirut, where Hezbollah maintains a significant presence. Additionally, it is the residence of numerous civilians who are not affiliated with the militant organization.

The Lebanese army reported that three soldiers were killed in an Israeli strike on their vehicle in southern Lebanon. The Israeli military did not provide an immediate response to this matter. However, it did report that it had struck over 100 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon within the past day and was continuing ground operations in the area.

The war has largely been characterized by Lebanon’s army remaining on the sidelines. The military is a highly esteemed institution in Lebanon; however, it is incapable of imposing its will on Hezbollah or safeguarding the nation from an Israeli invasion.

According to the Israeli military, Hezbollah launched over 170 rockets into Israel on Sunday. According to the Magen David Adom rescue service of Israel, three individuals sustained minor injuries as a result of a fire that was initiated by a rocket attack in the northern city of Safed.

Israeli forces “deliberately demolished an observation tower and perimeter fence of a U.N. position” in southern Lebanon on Sunday, according to the U.N. peacekeeping mission UNIFIL, which is situated in the center. It once more refused to yield to Israeli pressure to abandon its positions.

According to three U.S. officials, the United States is currently conducting an investigation into the unauthorized release of classified documents that suggest Israel was preparing to launch a military strike in response to Iran’s ballistic missile attack on Oct. 1. Iran is a supporter of Hezbollah, which is based in Lebanon. They were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, so they spoke on the condition of anonymity.