In a recent development in the war against Hezbollah, Israel has claimed that it has uncovered a massive financial reserve hidden in a ‘secret’ Hezbollah bunker beneath a hospital in Beirut.
The Israeli military revealed that the bunker contained approximately $500 million in cash and gold, which it alleges was used to fund Hezbollah’s operations.
The discovery was announced by Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, Israel’s chief military spokesperson, during a televised briefing on Monday.
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.” He stated that the bunker, situated below Al-Sahel Hospital, had been built by Hezbollah’s former leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who was reportedly killed in an Israeli airstrike last month.
“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
Hezbollah’s Financial Network Under Attack
The revelation comes after a series of targeted airstrikes conducted by the Israeli Air Force on Sunday night. These strikes targeted nearly 30 Hezbollah-linked sites, including financial centers operated by Al-Qard Al-Hassan (AQAH), a firm allegedly critical to Hezbollah’s financial infrastructure.
Although AQAH is officially registered as a charity, Israel and the United States have accused it of being a front for Hezbollah’s financial operations, providing access to significant cash and gold reserves that support military activities.
According to Hagari, the bunker below the hospital contains at least half a billion dollars in dollar bills and gold. He emphasized that while Israel had not yet struck the site due to its location under a medical facility, it had focused its efforts on Hezbollah’s other financial assets. He also suggested that these funds could be used to help rebuild Lebanon if recovered.
Israeli Campaign to Disrupt Hezbollah Finances
This development is part of Israel’s broader effort to cripple Hezbollah’s financial capabilities. Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, IDF Chief of Staff, noted that over 300 strikes were carried out on Hezbollah positions in Lebanon within a 24-hour period, targeting critical financial and logistical hubs.
One of the key targets in the recent strikes was an underground vault believed to contain tens of millions of dollars in cash and gold, which Israel alleges was being used to finance attacks on its territory.
While it remains unclear whether all of the funds were destroyed in the strikes, Israeli officials have indicated that more airstrikes may be forthcoming as they continue to identify Hezbollah’s financial strongholds.
Ongoing Hostilities Between Hezbollah and Israel
Tensions between Hezbollah and Israel have intensified since the group launched a series of attacks in support of Hamas following the October 7 attacks in 2023. Israeli officials estimate that around 2,000 Hezbollah fighters have been killed since hostilities escalated in September 2023.
Hezbollah has responded with rocket attacks on Israeli towns and military positions, including a recent barrage targeting an intelligence base near Tel Aviv.
