Hezbollah 'Hiding Over $500 Million In Cash & Gold In Secret Bunker Under Beirut Hospital', Israel Claims
IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said it was deliberately placed under a hospital. The director of the hospital has denied the allegations.
Israel on Monday accused Hezbollah of hiding more than $500 million (approx Rs 4,150 crore) in gold and cash in a secret bunker underneath a Beirut hospital. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have alleged that the resources were being used to fund the group's operations.
In a televised briefing, IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said he was about 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”. He said the bunker was located under the Al-Sahel Hospital in Beirut.
“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.”
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 21, 2024
Listen to IDF Spox.… pic.twitter.com/SjMZQpKqoJ
Hagari said that it was deliberately placed under a hospital. “This money could and still can be used to rebuild the state of Lebanon,” Hagari added.
According to the New York Post, Israel has claimed that the bunker is connected to the hospital via a shaft. The IDF said the underground space houses several rooms for Hezbollah’s operations. The bunker also allegedly connects to another building several yards away from the hospital.
Hagari said the IDF doesn’t plan to strike the hospital, but called on Lebanese officials and international organisations to inspect the site. “I’m calling on the Lebanese government, Lebanese authorities, and the international organisations — don’t allow Hezbollah to use the money for terror and to attack Israel,” he said.
Hospital director Fadi Alameh has denied these allegations and told reporters that the facility was being evacuated, as per the New York Post. He also invited the Lebanese army to visit the hospital to debunk the IDF’s claims.
A 3D presentation released by Hagari on the alleged bunker mirrors the ones from last year on Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital, which the Israeli military alleged housed a large Hamas command centre, the Post reported.
According to the New York Post, as with Hamas in Gaza, the IDF has accused Hezbollah of operating and hiding its terror infrastructure inside civilian spaces to complicate the war effort.
Hagari said that the [Israeli] Air Force aircraft “are watching the site and will continue to track it”.
On Sunday night, airstrikes targeted nearly 30 Hezbollah-linked locations, including sites operated by Al-Qard Al-Hassan (AQAH), a financial firm linked to Hezbollah, according to an NDTV report. The AQAH has been registered as a charity but was accused by both Israel and the United States of serving as a critical financial arm of Hezbollah, facilitating its access to cash and gold reserves for military purposes.
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