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22-10-2024
JERUSALEM/ BEIRUT: Israel has carried out air strikes across Lebanon, saying its targeting branches of a bank used by Hezbollah.
The Israeli military issued 24 warnings in less than an hour evacuation warnings which caused widespread panic, according to the UN’s envoy to Lebanon.
The Al-Qard al-Hassan bank has been under US sanctions since 2007, with the US saying it allows Hezbollah to bypass banking systems.
Two strikes were reported close to Beirut airport, as passenger planes were still landing. Israel’s war against Hezbollah goes beyond military infrastructure, writes Hugo Bachega.
A Hamas official has told media that the movement is likely to keep the identity of its new leader secret for security reasons (the movement did the same thing in 2003 following the assassination of then Hamas chief, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, by Israel in 2003, and that of his successor, Dr Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi)
The movement intends to elect a new leader in March of next year but until then it will be run a five-member committee.
The committee will be made up of Khalil al-Hayya, Khaled Meshaal, Zaher Jabarin, Muhammad Darwish, head of the Shura Council, and a fifth individual whose identity remains undisclosed. The official indicated that Khalil al-Hayya has assumed responsibility for most political and foreign affairs, in addition to his direct oversight of Gaza-related matters. As a result, he is effectively functioning as the acting head of the movement.
The official added that Hamas had been surprised by the way Yahya Sinwar had been killed last week as their understanding had been that he was in a much more secure location at the time of his assassination.
Addressing the issue of hostages, the official then asserted that the movement possesses both the capability and the personnel to ensure their safety, although he refrained from providing specific details.
He also noted that there have been minimal negotiations since last June.
The official revealed that the Iranian foreign minister had met Khalil al-Hayya on Friday in the Turkish capital Ankara and offered his condolences for the martyrdom of Sinwar, and said that Iran expects the Israeli attack on Iran may occur a week or less before the US elections.
We’ve just seen a statement from Israel’s State Attorney’s Office, which has outlined a case against seven citizens from Haifa and northern Israel and accuses the individuals of “acting as Iranian agents during the war and before”.
According to the statement, the group were paid “hundreds of thousands of dollars in cryptocurrencies”. It continues by saying they carried out “hundreds of missions” in which they photographed and gathered Intel on locations, including IDF facilities and Iron Dome battery sites (a type of missile shield designed to intercept short-range rockets).
An indictment, detailing formal charges, is due to be filed in the next few days.
The Office has described this as “one of the most serious cases” in recent years but adds that there have been a “series” of such cases revealed in recent weeks.
The aim of strikes on Lebanese bank Al Qard al Hassan was to stop large amounts of money reaching Hezbollah, Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer says.
Speaking at a press conference, Mencer has said that: “Overnight dozens of command centres and sites in which Hezbollah’s funds were held were hit.”
He continues by saying that the “IDF shared details of the 50 million dollars (£38.4m) in cash which come every month from Iran, via Syria, into Lebanon”. (Int’l Monitoring Desk)
