Israeli Military to Target Hezbollah's Al-Qard Al-Hasan in Lebanon

People drive next to a building, targeted in an Israeli airstrike the night before, in Beirut's southern suburbs on October 20, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Hezbollah and Israel. (Photo by Ibrahim AMRO / AFP)
People drive next to a building, targeted in an Israeli airstrike the night before, in Beirut's southern suburbs on October 20, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Hezbollah and Israel. (Photo by Ibrahim AMRO / AFP)
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Israeli Military to Target Hezbollah's Al-Qard Al-Hasan in Lebanon

People drive next to a building, targeted in an Israeli airstrike the night before, in Beirut's southern suburbs on October 20, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Hezbollah and Israel. (Photo by Ibrahim AMRO / AFP)
People drive next to a building, targeted in an Israeli airstrike the night before, in Beirut's southern suburbs on October 20, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Hezbollah and Israel. (Photo by Ibrahim AMRO / AFP)

Israel will carry out targeted strikes on sites belonging to Hezbollah's financial arm in Lebanon in coming hours and Lebanese residents should evacuate areas close to those facilities, an Israeli military spokesperson said on Sunday.

"We will attack a number of targets in the coming hours," spokesperson Daniel Hagari told a news briefing.

"In the coming hours we will issue an evacuation warning to Lebanese residents in Beirut and other locations to evacuate from sites that are used to fund Hezbollah's terrorism activities."

A senior Israeli intelligence official added that they were going to be attacking different branches of Iran-backed Hezbollah's financing arm Al-Qard Al-Hasan.

No details were given about the locations of the sites that would be targeted.

The United States imposed sanctions on Al-Qard al-Hasan in 2007, saying it was used by Hezbollah "as a cover to manage the terrorist group's financial activities and gain access to the international financial system.”



Lebanese FM Kicks off European Tour in Pursuit of Ceasefire

Lebanese caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Lebanese caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Lebanese FM Kicks off European Tour in Pursuit of Ceasefire

Lebanese caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Lebanese caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Lebanese caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib kicked off on Sunday a European tour in pursuit of a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hezbollah and to garner support for the implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 1701.

He will visit Italy, France, Spain and the Vatican.

Israel’s war on Hezbollah is in its fourth week and efforts have so far failed in reaching a ceasefire.

US envoy Amos Hochstein and Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit are meanwhile expected in Beirut on Monday.

In Italy, Bou Habib will take part in a G7 meeting at the invitation of his Italian counterpart Antonio Tajani.

He will explain Lebanon’s position in calling for a ceasefire and ending the Israeli hostilities through the full implementation of resolution 1701 and bolstering the deployment of the army south of the Litani River.

He will also ask for immediate humanitarian aid for the 1.2 million people who have been displaced by the fighting.

In Paris, he will hold talks with senior UNESCO officials to discuss means to protect Lebanese heritage sites and the education sector.

On Thursday, he will join caretaker Prime Minister and the Lebanese delegation at the Paris conference on Lebanon.

Bou Habib will be in Barcelona on Sunday and Monday to attend the Union for the Mediterranean foreign ministers meeting before returning to Beirut.