Lebanon Judge Freezes Assets of Five Banks and Members of Their Boards

A general view shows the headquarters of the Lebanese Blom Bank in Beirut, Lebanon July 9, 2018. (Reuters)
A general view shows the headquarters of the Lebanese Blom Bank in Beirut, Lebanon July 9, 2018. (Reuters)
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Lebanon Judge Freezes Assets of Five Banks and Members of Their Boards

A general view shows the headquarters of the Lebanese Blom Bank in Beirut, Lebanon July 9, 2018. (Reuters)
A general view shows the headquarters of the Lebanese Blom Bank in Beirut, Lebanon July 9, 2018. (Reuters)

A Lebanese judge froze the assets of five top banks and members of their boards while she investigates transactions they undertook with the country's central bank, a judicial document showed on Monday.

The asset freeze against Bank of Beirut, Bank Audi, SGBL, Blom Bank and Bankmed applies to properties, vehicles and shares in companies owned by the banks or the members of their boards.

She has not charged any of the parties mentioned with any crime.

Lebanon's banks association in statement said the decision by Judge Ghada Aoun was "illegal" and would further destabilize the country's banking system, already crippled by a financial meltdown that has seen most depositors locked out of their hard currency accounts.

Raya Hassan, chairman of the board of Bankmed, declined to comment, as did Blom Bank chairman Saad Azhari and a spokesperson for Bank Audi.

Bank of Beirut and SGBL did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Aoun on Thursday issued travel bans against the heads of the boards of the five Lebanese banks as a precautionary measure while she carried out her probe, she told Reuters.



Israel Pounds Beirut Southern Suburbs with Airstrikes

Smoke rises from a destroyed building that was hit by an Israeli airstrike on Dahiyeh, in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
Smoke rises from a destroyed building that was hit by an Israeli airstrike on Dahiyeh, in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
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Israel Pounds Beirut Southern Suburbs with Airstrikes

Smoke rises from a destroyed building that was hit by an Israeli airstrike on Dahiyeh, in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
Smoke rises from a destroyed building that was hit by an Israeli airstrike on Dahiyeh, in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Israel’s air force resumed airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, destroying buildings in several neighborhoods, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said Friday. There was no immediate word on casualties.

The early Friday airstrikes on Dahiyeh — after a four-day lull during which no airstrikes were reported in the suburbs — destroyed dozens of buildings and caused fires in the area, the agency said.

In recent days, Israel has intensified its airstrikes on the northeastern city of Baalbek and nearby villages, as well as different parts of southern Lebanon.

Lebanon’s Heath Ministry said more than 2,800 people have been killed and 13,000 wounded since Oct. 8, 2023, when Hezbollah began firing rockets almost daily into Israel, drawing retaliation.