"Beirut in flames"

Israel regrets the death of Lebanese soldiers

This time, the Israeli air force targeted Hezbollah "financial institutions" in Beirut.

(Bild: APA/AP)

According to its foreign minister, Israel has set the capital "Beirut on fire" with its latest air strikes in Lebanon. The Israeli military's major offensive targeted the financial structure of the pro-Iranian Hezbollah militia in Beirut and other parts of the country. Meanwhile, the Israeli army apologized for the death of three Lebanese soldiers in an attack on Sunday.

A truck had been attacked on Sunday in an area where a truck belonging to the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah had previously been attacked. The Hezbollah truck was carrying rockets. It later became clear that it had been a Lebanese army truck and that three soldiers had been killed. 

Lebanese soldiers inspect a destroyed vehicle in the north of the country.

(Bild: APA/AP)

"Israel is not taking action against the Lebanese army"
"The arrival of a Lebanese army truck was not known to the Israeli army," it said in a statement. "The Israeli army is not taking action against the Lebanese army and apologizes for these unintended circumstances." The Lebanese army is neutral in the conflict between Israel and the pro-Iranian Hezbollah militia. However, the Lebanese armed forces had already come under fire in recent weeks and then returned fire. Lebanese soldiers are also said to have been killed on that occasion.

This time, the Israeli air force targeted Hezbollah "financial institutions" in Beirut.

(Bild: APA/AP)

Meanwhile, Hezbollah fired another volley of rockets at northern Israel. According to the Israeli army, around 40 missiles flew from Lebanon into Israeli territory. Some of them were intercepted by the missile defense system, others hit the ground. There were initially no reports of damage or casualties. The army announced that the air force had attacked 15 Hezbollah rocket launchers in Lebanon that were targeting civilians in northern Israel. Among them were ramps that had been used in the recent rocket attacks.

However, the main focus on Sunday and Monday night was on Hezbollah's "financial center". Targeted attacks were carried out against dozens of facilities and installations used by Hezbollah "to finance its terrorist activities against the State of Israel", the Israeli army announced. The attacks were carried out in the Beirut area, in southern Lebanon and deep inside the country. The army confirmed the attack on the Al-Kard Al-Hassan association. This association manages funds used to finance Hezbollah's activities, including the purchase of weapons and payments to members of Hezbollah's military wing.

According to the US Treasury Department, Al-Kard Al-Hassan is used by Hezbollah as a cover to disguise financial activities and gain access to the international financial system.

Residents of Beirut report severe damage as far as the eye can see.

(Bild: APA/AP)

Beirut residents: "You can see nothing but damage"
Residents of Beirut reported severe destruction. "You can see nothing but damage," a local resident named Ali told dpa. An attacked building of Al-Kard al-Hassan, a kind of Hezbollah's own bank, was completely destroyed and neighboring buildings were damaged, he continued. The Hezbollah militia cordoned off the neighborhood after the attacks and only allowed residents to enter the area.

Hezbollah, which is allied with Iran and the radical Islamic Palestinian organization Hamas, also declared that it had targeted Israeli soldiers in several border towns in southern Lebanon. It had fired several volleys of rockets at Israeli troops on the eastern edge of Markaba.