Israel Targets Hezbollah's Financial Arm, Plans Strikes in Beirut

Israel's military says it will now take aim at the Lebanon-based Hezbollah's financial arm and plans to attack a “large number of targets” in the coming hours in Beirut and elsewhere.

Israeli military spokesman Rear. Adm. Daniel Hagari says they will issue evacuation warnings for people in parts of Beirut, and “anyone who will be near the sites used to finance Hezbollah's terrorist activity is required to stay away from them immediately.” The strikes will target al-Qard al-Hassan, a senior Israeli intelligence official said. The registered nonprofit, sanctioned by both the US and Saudi Arabia, provides financial services and is also used by ordinary Lebanese.

Al-Qard al-Hassan is a unit in Hezbollah and is used to pay operatives of the Iran-backed militant group and help buy arms, the official added, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with army regulations. 

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