The airstrikes came as part of Israel's increased campaign to undermine Hezbollah's financial resources. NDTV World
Israel announced on Monday that it has released intelligence regarding a secret financial center for Hezbollah located beneath a hospital in Beirut. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claims this bunker holds hundreds of millions of dollars in cash and gold, which are supposedly used to support Hezbollah's operations.
This revelation came after the Israeli Air Force carried out a series of targeted airstrikes on Sunday night, focusing on Hezbollah's financial assets. Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, an IDF spokesperson, shared information during a televised briefing, revealing, "Tonight, I am going to declassify intelligence on a site that we did not strike—where Hezbollah has millions of dollars in gold and cash in Hassan Nasrallah's bunker. The bunker is located directly under Al-Sahel Hospital in the heart of Beirut."
Hagari emphasized that the site had not yet been targeted, despite its substantial financial resources. He estimated that at least half a billion dollars in cash and gold was stored in the bunker, which could potentially be used to support the rebuilding of Lebanon.
The airstrikes on Sunday hit nearly 30 locations connected to Hezbollah, including sites operated by Al-Qard Al-Hassan (AQAH), a financial organization linked to the group. Although AQAH is registered as a charity, both Israel and the United States have accused it of being a vital financial arm for Hezbollah, enabling the group to access cash and gold for military use.
Hagari noted that one of the primary targets was an underground vault containing tens of millions of dollars in cash and gold, which were reportedly funding attacks against Israel. While he did not specify if all the funds were destroyed during the strikes, he hinted that more airstrikes were likely, particularly aimed at other financial hubs.
This series of strikes is part of a larger Israeli strategy to disrupt Hezbollah's financial network. According to IDF Chief of Staff Lt Gen Herzi Halevi, over 300 strikes were conducted against Hezbollah positions in Lebanon within a 24-hour period, focusing on key financial and logistical sites.
Al-Qard Al-Hassan has been operating in Lebanon since the 1980s, providing credit to citizens in exchange for gold deposits. Although officially recognized as a charity, Israeli and U.S. officials argue that it plays a crucial role in Hezbollah’s financial framework, allowing the group to launder money and finance its activities under the guise of a civilian banking institution.
Hagari claimed that Hezbollah’s primary income sources are the Lebanese people and the Iranian regime. He alleged that the group utilizes financial mechanisms, including cash transfers through Syria and gold smuggling from Iran. Factories operated by Hezbollah in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Turkey are reportedly used to generate significant revenue to support its activities.
In another development, Israel conducted an airstrike in Syria on Monday, targeting the head of Hezbollah's financial unit, known as Unit 4400, which is responsible for the flow of Iranian funds to Hezbollah, primarily through proceeds from Tehran's oil sales. The unnamed commander, who had just taken on this role, was killed in the strike, according to Hagari.
This operation marks the second significant killing of a Hezbollah financial leader in recent weeks. Earlier in October, Israeli forces eliminated Mohammed Jafar Ksir, the previous head of Hezbollah's financial operations, who was instrumental in managing the group's revenue streams, critical for its military and political influence in Lebanon.
These latest Israeli actions come amid rising tensions between Hezbollah and Israel, which have escalated since Hezbollah launched attacks in solidarity with Hamas following the conflict that began on October 7, 2023. Israeli officials estimate that around 2,000 Hezbollah fighters have lost their lives since hostilities increased in late September 2023. Hezbollah has retaliated with rocket attacks on Israeli towns and military sites, including a recent attack aimed at an intelligence base near Tel Aviv.
