After the Hezbollah terrorist organization joined the fighting, the IDF on Monday struck Al-Qard Al-Hasan, a financial institution affiliated with Hezbollah that helps fund the group. The goal of the attack was to damage Hezbollah’s financial network.
Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee, the military’s Arabic-language spokesman, issued a warning before the strike urging Lebanese residents whose homes had been marked in red to evacuate immediately. “The Al-Qard Al-Hasan Association is responsible for a significant portion of the funding of the Hezbollah terrorist organization and assists the organization in its terrorist activities, including ammunition, the purchase of facilities for weapons storage, the establishment of launch sites, financing the salaries of its members and carrying out various terrorist activities,” Adraee said in a statement.
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The chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, during a situational assessment at Northern Command
(Photo: IDF)
Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir held a situational assessment at Northern Command with division commanders, Northern Command chief Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo and other senior officers. During the assessment, Zamir approved offensive plans for the continuation of the campaign in the north and instructed forces to further intensify both offensive operations and defensive efforts in the area.
“We will conclude the campaign in a way that not only Iran is hit but Hezbollah will also sustain a very severe blow,” Zamir said. The military struck in Lebanon on Monday morning in response to Hezbollah rocket fire.
Strikes in Tyre, Lebanon
“Our primary effort is Iran. We are operating with force and striking the terror regime, in unprecedented cooperation with the United States military. After Hezbollah opened fire, I instructed that we act with force against Hezbollah as well. The military has planned and is prepared to operate in several arenas simultaneously,” Zamir said.
The IDF released for the first time cockpit footage showing bombs being dropped from an Israeli Air Force jet over Tehran. An IDF spokesperson said that during five sorties, the Air Force dropped more than 600 munitions on the Iranian capital.
Footage from the pilot’s helmet over Tehran
(Video: IDF)
Zamir expressed dissatisfaction with the Lebanese government for failing to disarm Hezbollah. “The Lebanese government and army were recently warned multiple times to disarm Hezbollah — they did not act. Therefore, we will know how to defend ourselves by ourselves. We will conclude the campaign in a way that not only Iran is hit but Hezbollah will also sustain a very severe blow. We will continue to insist that Hezbollah be disarmed — this is a demand we will not relinquish. The military will not conclude the campaign before the threat from Lebanon is removed.
“The plans have been ready for a long time, and we will seize the opportunity. I trust the Northern Command chief and the division and brigade commanders — the defense in Lebanon and Syria is strong. All the forces required for defense and offense are in your hands. Make use of the time and the many capabilities at your disposal: ground forces, firepower, air and naval capabilities, alongside many troops deployed along the borders.
“The military defends at the front lines of the communities and attacks to remove threats. The protection of residents is foremost in our minds — there will be no further evacuation of communities in the Land of Israel. The security of residents is our top priority.
“To the residents of the north, I say here — the military controls the skies of Lebanon and is on the front line. Any threat that is identified will be destroyed. Our message is clear and echoes throughout the Middle East: We will strike all arms of terrorism and all terrorist leaders who seek to harm us. We have proven this and will continue to prove it.”
Overnight, Hezbollah joined the fighting for the first time by firing toward communities in the Carmel region in northern Israel. In response, the military struck in Lebanon on Monday morning. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Monday that he is prohibiting Hezbollah from carrying out military activity from Lebanese territory.