Explosions were heard in Lebanon while Israel threatened to strike Hezbollah’s banks

Israel launched more air strikes in Beirut and southern Lebanon, including on branches of a bank linked to Hezbollah.

Explosions were heard in the southern suburbs of Beirut, an area controlled by Hezbollah, as well as in the Bekaa Valley and southern Lebanon. It is unclear whether there are any casualties.

The Israeli military earlier warned people living in more than 20 districts in Lebanon – including 14 districts in the capital, Beirut – that it planned to carry out strikes throughout the night.

The Israeli military also said it would target banks and other financial infrastructure that support Hezbollah.

In a statement issued Sunday evening, Israeli army spokesman Admiral Daniel Hagari warned that “anyone near sites used to finance Hezbollah’s terrorist activities must move away from these sites immediately.”

He added, “We will strike several targets in the coming hours and additional targets throughout the night.”

The Israeli spokesman added: “In the coming days, we will reveal how Iran finances Hezbollah’s terrorist activities using civil institutions, associations and non-governmental organizations that act as fronts for terrorism.”

The Lebanese National News Agency reported that raids targeted branches of the Al-Qard Al-Hassan Bank Association, including in the eastern Bekaa Valley.

It also reported a strike on a bank branch near Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut. Video footage showed smoke rising after an explosion near the airport.

The bank has more than 30 branches throughout Lebanon, including two branches in downtown Beirut.

Israel accuses the association of transferring Iranian funds to the group to finance the purchase and storage of weapons and to pay the salaries of its members. The organization has been subject to US sanctions since 2007, and American officials accuse it of being a cover for Hezbollah to manage its financial activities.

It also provides services to civilians in parts of the country where the group has strong support.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah said it fired more rockets into Israel on Sunday, targeting military bases. It also said it opened fire on Israeli forces on the ground in southern Lebanon.

On Sunday evening, the Israeli military said that dozens of shells — usually meaning rockets — had been fired into northern Israel in the past 24 hours.

It also said that its warplanes carried out “an intelligence strike on a command center for Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters and an underground weapons workshop in Beirut.”

She added that steps had been taken to “reduce the possibility of civilian casualties.”

Hezbollah and Lebanese officials accused Israel of targeting civilians, something Israel denies.

On Sunday, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) accused the Israeli army of destroying a watchtower and a fence surrounding a United Nations site in the town of Marwahin in southern Lebanon on the border with Israel. This comes after similar incidents in recent weeks.

UNIFIL said in a statement, “Once again, we note that violating the position of the United Nations and damaging United Nations assets is a flagrant violation of international law and Security Council Resolution 1701.”

In a separate development, the Lebanese army said that three of its soldiers were killed after a military vehicle was hit by an Israeli air strike in Nabatieh, southern Lebanon.

Israel has not yet commented on the two aforementioned incidents.

Historically, the Lebanese Army has stayed out of cross-border clashes between Israel and Hezbollah, but a number of its soldiers have been killed in Israeli attacks since fighting escalated last month.

Hezbollah, a powerful militant group in Lebanon, says it fired on Israeli positions in solidarity with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Hezbollah and Hamas enjoy Iranian support.

Lebanese officials estimate that more than 2,400 people were killed in the country over the past year. Israel says 59 people were killed in northern Israel and the occupied Golan Heights during the same period.