Israel Claims Discovery of Hezbollah Bunker in Beirut
In a recent statement, Israel’s military asserted that it has uncovered a bunker filled with “cash and gold” belonging to the former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, allegedly located beneath the Sahel General Hospital in southern Beirut. This announcement was made by military spokesman Daniel Hagari, who, without presenting any substantiating evidence, claimed that Israeli operatives had successfully located the bunker within the heart of Hezbollah’s stronghold in the Dahiyeh neighborhood.
However, the hospital’s director, Fadi Alameh, firmly denied the existence of any tunnels under the facility and reported that the hospital is currently undergoing evacuation procedures. Alameh, who also serves as a representative in the Lebanese parliament for the surrounding area, urged the Lebanese army and relevant institutions to conduct an inspection to determine whether the alleged underground structures are indeed present.
In an interview with the local TV station Al-Jadeed, Alameh emphasized that Sahel General Hospital is a private medical institution boasting underground operating theatres, and he proudly stated that the hospital has been a staple in the community for 42 years, asserting that it maintains no affiliations with any political factions.
Meanwhile, Hagari also leveled accusations against Iran, alleging that the country has been sending “suitcases of cash and gold” to its embassy in Beirut, claiming that this financial support is funneled directly to Hezbollah. He further noted that Israeli military operations have led to the deaths of key Hezbollah figures responsible for the financial transactions between Iran and the militant group.
Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have targeted various branches of a financial institution linked to Hezbollah, known as Al-Qard Al-Hasan. On Monday, Israel announced its intent to continue strikes against this financial entity, which it alleges utilizes customer deposits to fund attacks against Israel. One of these strikes resulted in the destruction of a nine-story building in Beirut that housed a branch of the institution. The Israeli military had issued evacuation warnings prior to the strikes, and fortunately, there were no reported casualties.
Hagari reassured that Israeli forces would not target Sahel General Hospital specifically. However, the situation remains tense as Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that an Israeli airstrike near Rafik Hariri University Hospital—the largest public hospital in Lebanon—resulted in the deaths of four individuals and left 24 others wounded. This marked the first strike on the Lebanese capital in a span of ten days.
Hezbollah Responds with Rocket Attacks
As Israel intensifies its military operations in southern Lebanon, including a ground invasion, Hezbollah has retaliated by launching rockets into central Israel. On Tuesday, the militant group fired a series of rockets into some of Israel’s most densely populated areas, triggering air raid sirens across the region. Fortunately, initial reports indicate that there were no significant damages or injuries from the barrage.
The IDF confirmed that five projectiles were launched from Lebanon, with most being intercepted by Israel’s missile defense system, while one projectile landed in an uninhabited area. Concurrently, approximately 15 projectiles were reported to have been fired from Lebanon into northern Israel around the same timeframe.