Israel reported the discovery of $500 million in a covert Hezbollah bunker in Beirut

 

Israel has reported the discovery of $500 million in a covert Hezbollah bunker in Beirut. Air strikes on Sunday night targeted around 30 locations associated with Hezbollah, including facilities managed by Al-Qard Al-Hassan (AQAH), a financial institution with ties to Hezbollah. Israel revealed on Monday that it has declassified intelligence indicating the existence of a clandestine Hezbollah financial center beneath a Beirut hospital. Per the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the underground shelter held a substantial amount of money and gold, purportedly utilized to finance the organization's activities. 

This revelation came after a sequence of precise air attacks carried out by the Israeli Air Force on Sunday evening, targeting Hezbollah's financial resources. IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari presented comprehensive information in a televised briefing, announcing, "This evening, I will disclose intelligence regarding a location that was not targeted - where Hezbollah is storing millions of dollars in gold and cash in Hassan Nasrallah's underground bunker." The bunker is situated beneath Al-Sahel Hospital in downtown Beirut. Hagari noted that the facility has not been targeted despite reports of substantial financial assets. 

Estimates indicate that there is a minimum of $500 million in dollar bills and gold stored within this bunker. "This funding has the potential to be utilized in the reconstruction efforts in Lebanon," he stated. The airstrikes on Sunday night focused on approximately 30 locations associated with Hezbollah, including facilities managed by Al-Qard Al-Hassan (AQAH), a financial institution connected to the group. AQAH, even though operating as a charitable organization, has been accused by both Israel and the United States of functioning as an essential financial branch of Hezbollah, aiding in its acquisition of funds and gold reserves for military objectives. 

Hagari alleged that a primary focus was on a hidden vault holding millions of dollars in cash and gold, which were purportedly utilized to support assaults on Israel. Hagari did not specify if all funds were eliminated in the attack, but indicated that more airstrikes are likely, with a focus on targeting additional financial centers. The strikes were part of an escalated Israeli campaign to disrupt Hezbollah's monetary resources. Per IDF Chief of Staff Lt Gen Herzi Halevi, more than 300 strikes were carried out on Hezbollah positions in Lebanon within a 24-hour timeframe, targeting essential financial and logistical centers. Al-Qard Al-Hassan has been active in Lebanon since the 1980s, offering loans to Lebanese individuals in return for gold holdings.

 While designated as a charitable organization, Israeli and American authorities assert that the company serves as a key component in Hezbollah's financial infrastructure, facilitating the movement of funds and support for its operations under the façade of a civilian bank. The primary sources of income for Hezbollah are identified as the Lebanese population and the Iranian government, according to Hagari. He claimed that the financial methods utilized by the organization involve cash transfers through Syria and the smuggling of gold into Lebanon from Iran.

Hezbollah allegedly operates factories in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Turkey to generate significant income for funding terrorist activities, as reported by IDF intelligence. Israel conducted an airstrike in Syria on Monday, targeting the leader of Hezbollah's financial unit known as Unit 4400. The unit oversees the transfer of Iranian capital to Hezbollah, predominantly from revenue generated through Tehran's petroleum exports. The unidentified commander, who had assumed the position recently, was killed in the attack, as per Hagari. This event represents the second notable assassination of a Hezbollah financial figure in the past few weeks. In early October, Israeli forces eliminated Mohammed Jafar Ksir, also recognized as Sheikh Salah, the former leader of Hezbollah's financial activities. Ksir has been responsible for managing the group's revenue sources, which play a crucial role in its military and political power in Lebanon.

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