Hundreds of Beirut residents fled their homes on Sunday evening as explosions were heard in the southern suburbs after the Israeli army said it was preparing attacks on branches of a banking system linked to Hezbollah, a further escalation of Israel’s nearly month-long war against the militant group. .

Reuters witnesses saw dense plumes of black smoke rising into the air in Lebanon’s capital after at least 10 explosions. Witnesses, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said a building in the southern suburbs of Chiyah was in ruins and the few people in the area had fled before the explosion, which caused no casualties.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had warned people to immediately leave areas linked to the Al-Qard Al-Hassan Association, a US-sanctioned financial organization with more than 30 branches across Lebanon, including 15 in densely populated parts of central Beirut and its suburbs. .

Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported 11 attacks in southern Beirut, many of which targeted Al-Qard Al-Hassan. Other strikes hit the association in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley and in the south of the country, NNA added.

The report also said an attack had taken place near Beirut airport, the main entry point for humanitarian aid into the country and a key evacuation center for those fleeing the conflict. AFP images showed large plumes of smoke rising near the facility.

There was no immediate information about the cause of the explosions, nor details of any casualties. Panicked crowds clogged the streets and caused traffic jams in some parts of Beirut as they tried to reach neighborhoods considered safer, witnesses told Reuters.

The US says Al-Qard al-Hassan is used by the Iran-backed Hezbollah to manage its finances. It provides loans and services to people living in areas where the militia group is popular.

IDF spokesperson Avichay Adraee said on

He accused the association of involvement in “financing the terrorist activities of the Hezbollah organization against Israel, and therefore the IDF has decided to attack this terrorist infrastructure.”

When asked by journalists whether the branches could be considered military targets, a senior Israeli intelligence official said: “The purpose of this attack is to attack the ability of Hezbollah’s economic function, both during the war, but also afterwards rebuild and rearm…after.”

The US Treasury Department said in 2021, while preparing sanctions against Hezbollah’s financial network, that Al-Qard Al-Hassan “claims to serve the Lebanese people” but in practice “illegally funds through shell accounts and moved facilitators,” the New York Times reported.

According to the Times, Al-Qard al-Hasan said in a statement on Sunday that Israel “has exhausted its collection of targets and has chosen to threaten and attack Al-Qard al-Hasan, the non-profit organization.”

Israel has intensified its military campaigns both in Gaza and Lebanon, days after the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar raised hopes of an opening for ceasefire negotiations to end more than a year of conflict.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told troops on Sunday that the army was stepping up attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon and destroying places the group “intended to use as a launching pad for attacks on Israel.”

About 70 projectiles were fired at Israel from Lebanon within minutes on Sunday, the army said, adding that it had intercepted some.

In addition, the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon (Unifil) said on Sunday evening that an Israeli army bulldozer had deliberately destroyed a watchtower and a fence at its position in Marwahin in southern Lebanon.

Unifil said in a statement: “Once again, we remind the IDF and all actors of their obligations to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and property and to respect the sanctity of UN buildings at all times.”

Meanwhile, world powers await Israel’s retaliation against Iran’s October 1 attacks on the Jewish state, which were launched in support of Tehran’s Lebanese ally. Late on Friday, it emerged that top-secret US documents allegedly revealing details of Israel’s plans to attack Iran had been leaked and published online.

With Agence France-Presse and Reuters