It has been confirmed that an Israeli military attack in Lebanon overnight, which targeted Hezbollah‘s finances, hit bank branches in the city, which shows that the Israeli government is expanding its operations and attacks in the city. The attack caused panic as the United States started a move to ensure diplomatic solutions to the conflict that had arisen between the countries for over a year.
It was disclosed that Secretary of State Antony Blinken was set to travel to the Middle East on Monday for a trip that will focus on talks to end the U.S. ally’s conflict with Iran-backed militant groups in Lebanon and Gaza after the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and amid mounting outrage over Israel’s deadly renewed assault on the north of the Palestinian enclave, where the United Nations said life had been made impossible.
It was also learnt that the Israeli government has planned to launch an attack against Iran itself.
The spokesperson of IDF, Daniel Hagari, has warned that the evacuation order for residents of Beirut and other areas of Lebanon was issued. It was learnt that the building that was targeted by the forces was part of the building that had been used to finance the activities of Hezbollah.
The statement did not in any way name the institutions that were targeted by the forces, but some branches, which were said to be the operation centre of the Al-Qard Al-Hassan bank, were hit in a volley of airstrikes. In a statement from the US and Israel, they had linked the banks to Iran-backed militant and political groups.
NBC News reported that the crew in Beirut had headed to the city; the Lebanese national media also reported that the strike had hit branches of banks in the city’s southern part. Some online videos shared by the nation’s residents have shown that the city was on fire and had collapsed after the strikes.
The United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis, disclosed that there was widespread fear in Lebanon after the IDF made the order of evacuation public on X. She disclosed that the residents had little time to move to safety before the blast was heard in the city.
It was noted that the panic in the city could not be explained after so many people left their homes but had to return hours later. The displaced person who was staying in the caps had to leave their homes, too, after the warning was issued by IDF. A president of the city disclosed that all the people whose homes were close to the Al-Qard Al-Hassan fled the area for fear of the unknown.
A Development for People and Nature Association worker in the coastal city, Ranim Halawani, disclosed that she had to flee her home with other residents who were afraid of what could happen from the attack after the evacuation notice was made public through the media. She confirmed that there was no attack in Sadia, but the residents were afraid of any attack that could claim lives in the city.
It was learnt the US sanction of 2007 has affected the operations of Al-Qard Al-Hassan, or AQAH, in the countries. The Treasury Department described the bank as being used by Hezbollah “as a cover to manage the terrorist group’s financial activities” and to “gain access to the international financial system.”
In the past years, Treasury officials have continued to accuse Hezbollah of using the bank to “abuse the Lebanese financial sector and drain Lebanon’s financial resources at an already dire time” in a country grappling with protracted economic and political crises.
According to local media, it was learnt that Al-Qard Al-Hassan, which means a good loan in the country, has more than 30 branches across Lebanon. Many are based in the Shiite-majority southern suburbs of Beirut, and at least some appear to have been connected to residential buildings.
The strike by the government on the bank has shown that the IDF has continued to expand its operation in the war against Hezbollah beyond what the IDF has described as the targeting of the group’s military sites.
A statement released by IDF on Monday noted that the Israeli soldiers would continue to launch ground operations in southern Lebanon, noting that the soldiers have successfully destroyed a large number of large quantities of Hezbollah’s weapons; it was also pointed out that the IDF has killed a large number of Hezbollah members in its operations some of the tactical-level commanders were also killed the IDF said.
At least 2,464 people, including 127 children, have been killed in Lebanon since hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah began to escalate last year following Hamas’ Oct. 7 terror attack, according to the Lebanese health ministry, while an estimated 1.2 million people have been displaced from their homes.
In an interview with Al Arabiya on Monday, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said he believed there would be “no solution except through diplomacy” to bring fighting in the region to an end but that he’d had no direct contact with Hezbollah since the middle of last month.
However, the IDF has continued to carry out their offensive operations in northern Gaza, with dozens of persons killed in the attacks over the weekend. The attacks were carried out in areas such as Beit Lahia and Abalia refugee camp, the local health officials have disclosed.
It was confirmed on Monday by IDF that the troops had successfully killed some militants and continued to dismantle militant infrastructure and tunnel shafts in the area of the Jabalia refugee camp over the past day. The military said troops were also operating across southern and central Gaza.
A United Nations Human Rights Office statement noted that how the forces carried out the attacks was becoming a cause of worry. It was pointed out that how the Israeli military is conducting hostilities in north Gaza” may be “causing the destruction of the Palestinian population in Gaza’s northernmost governate through death and displacement.
It said this was the case, particularly in areas such as Jabalia, Beit Lahia, and Beit Hanoun.
Over the past two weeks, it said, the Israeli military has taken measures that make life in north Gaza impossible for Palestinians while repeatedly ordering the displacement of the entire governorate.
