According to Reuters, many explosions were heard throughout the capital Beirut (Lebanon) on the night of October 20 (local time), causing hundreds of civilians to flee in panic.
The Israeli military said destroying targets linked to Hezbollah's financial activities was the primary objective of the October 20 attack. It also urged residents to evacuate the area before launching the bombing.
According to witnesses, columns of black smoke rose after at least 10 shots were fired. The overnight raid by the Israeli army caused a building in a Beirut suburb to collapse completely, but there were no casualties because residents had fled beforehand.
Witnesses said hundreds of people poured into the streets to seek safety, causing traffic congestion in many neighborhoods in Beirut.
There is no information about damage and Hezbollah or the Lebanese government have not commented on the attack.
The US believes that the Al-Qard al-Hassan financial institution is used by Hezbollah to finance military operations as well as financial management. There are about 30 Al-Qard al-Hassan facilities across Lebanon, 15 of which are located in densely populated areas of Beirut.
An Israeli military spokesman warned residents to stay away from Al-Qard al-Hassan infrastructure as it is the main target of upcoming strikes.
“The purpose of the attack was to target Hezbollah's ability to operate economically both during the war and to reestablish it afterwards,” an Israeli intelligence official said.
