Tel Aviv: Israel announced on Monday that it has declassified intelligence revealing a secret Hezbollah financial hub located beneath a Beirut hospital. According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the underground bunker allegedly holds hundreds of millions of dollars in cash and gold used to fund Hezbollah’s operations.
This revelation came after a series of Israeli Air Force airstrikes on Sunday night, targeting Hezbollah’s financial assets. During a televised briefing, IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari stated, “Tonight, I am declassifying intelligence on a site we did not strike—where Hezbollah stores millions of dollars in cash and gold in Hassan Nasrallah’s bunker, located directly beneath Al-Sahel Hospital in central Beirut.”
Hagari stated that the site has not been targeted yet, despite the alleged presence of significant financial resources. “Estimates suggest that at least half a billion dollars in cash and gold are stored in this bunker. This money could, and still can, be used to rebuild the state of Lebanon,” he said.
“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. Where is the bunker located? Directly under Al-Sahel Hospital in the heart of Beirut.”
Listen to IDF Spox.… pic.twitter.com/SjMZQpKqoJ
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 21, 2024
Israeli strikes target Hezbollah locaitons
Sunday night’s airstrikes targeted nearly 30 Hezbollah-linked locations, including sites operated by Al-Qard Al-Hassan (AQAH), a financial organization associated with Hezbollah. Although AQAH is registered as a charity, both Israel and the United States have accused it of functioning as a key financial arm of Hezbollah, providing the group with access to cash and gold reserves for military purposes.
Hagari revealed that one of the primary targets was an underground vault holding tens of millions of dollars in cash and gold, which was allegedly being used to fund attacks on Israel. While he did not confirm whether all the funds were destroyed, he indicated that further airstrikes could be expected, especially on additional financial hubs.
The strikes were part of an intensified Israeli campaign to disrupt Hezbollah’s financial networks. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi reported that the effort involved over 300 airstrikes on Hezbollah positions in Lebanon within 24 hours, targeting key financial and logistical centers.
What is Al-Qard Al-Hassan
Al-Qard Al-Hassan has been operating in Lebanon since the 1980s, offering credit to Lebanese citizens in exchange for gold deposits. Although officially registered as a charity, Israeli and US officials contend that the firm plays a key role in Hezbollah’s financial network, facilitating money laundering and funding the group’s activities under the cover of civilian banking.
Hagari claimed that Hezbollah’s primary sources of income are the Lebanese people and the Iranian regime. He alleged that the group uses financial mechanisms such as cash transfers through Syria and gold smuggled into Lebanon from Iran. According to IDF intelligence, Hezbollah also operates factories in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Turkey, generating significant revenue to fund its terrorist activities.
