logo
Israeli army claims Hezbollah is rebuilding secret weapons site in Beirut's southern suburbs

Israeli army claims Hezbollah is rebuilding secret weapons site in Beirut's southern suburbs

LBCI09-04-2025

The Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee claimed in a post on his X account that ''Hezbollah has been attempting to rebuild a secret underground weapons production site in Chouaifet in Beirut's southern suburbs.''
The facility, reportedly located near a school and beneath residential buildings, was previously targeted in November 2024.
Adraee stated: "During the surprise inspection, engineering equipment disappeared from the site. Only after the inspection ended did the machinery return to operation, which is a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement."
The Israeli army said that this activity represents a severe breach of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon under the ceasefire agreement.
Adraee added, "This dangerous attempt to hide the operation from the monitoring mechanism is part of Hezbollah's ongoing efforts to conceal its military activities, undermining the security and stability of the region."
The spokesperson further stated ''its commitment to ensuring the continuation of the ceasefire agreements and pledged to take all necessary steps to neutralize any threats to Israel's security.''
"We will continue to monitor and respond to any Hezbollah attempts to establish military positions or advance weaponry in Lebanon," Adraee concluded.
#عاجل
🔸يكشف جيش الدفاع أن حزب الله يحاول خلال الأشهر الأخيرة إعادة… pic.twitter.com/kdv9PoDog0
— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) April 9, 2025

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Names released, fear spreads: Israel escalates 'financial war' on Hezbollah with latest targeting
Names released, fear spreads: Israel escalates 'financial war' on Hezbollah with latest targeting

LBCI

time5 hours ago

  • LBCI

Names released, fear spreads: Israel escalates 'financial war' on Hezbollah with latest targeting

Report by Edmond Sassine, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian This was not just another isolated Israeli strike. The targeting of Haytham Bakri and two of his sons in the southern town of Kfar Dajjal on Tuesday was more than that. According to Israeli claims, Bakri is a money changer who heads the "Al-Sadiq" Currency Exchange, which the Israeli military alleges serves as financial infrastructure for storing and transferring funds to Hezbollah. More alarming is that Israel did not stop at naming Bakri. It publicly released the names of five additional currency exchange companies and their owners, accusing them of channeling money to Hezbollah. Israeli reports claim the existence of networks moving funds from Iran to Lebanon via Iraq, Turkey, or the United Arab Emirates. Through these routes, the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps allegedly transfers millions of dollars to the six listed exchange firms. Alongside these accusations and the strike on Bakri and his sons, the Israeli military also claimed to have killed Behnam Shahriyari in Iran — a Quds Force commander said to be responsible for transferring money to Hezbollah. The publication of the names of the money changers and their companies operating in Lebanon has sparked fear among those listed, who now worry they may be targeted next. Sources familiar with the matter note that the U.S. administration typically imposes sanctions on individuals and companies through formal procedures and communication with Lebanese authorities. But in this case, the naming and accusing of companies and individuals is being carried out unilaterally by Israel, with no oversight. Some of the accused money changers, the sources said, have been advised to contact Lebanon's central bank and the Banking Control Commission to request an investigation to verify their legal and financial standing, as well as to communicate with security agencies to demonstrate their compliance and to seek protection through the channels and contacts they rely on. Israel's strikes on what it describes as Hezbollah's financial networks are not new, even if they now come in more public and escalatory forms. In April of last year, money changer Mohammad Srour was assassinated after being lured to Beit Meri. Investigations pointed to Mossad involvement amid reports he had been transferring funds from Iran to Palestinian factions.

Lebanon scrambles to finalize response to US plan on Hezbollah arms and border deal — here's what we know
Lebanon scrambles to finalize response to US plan on Hezbollah arms and border deal — here's what we know

LBCI

time5 hours ago

  • LBCI

Lebanon scrambles to finalize response to US plan on Hezbollah arms and border deal — here's what we know

Report by Yazbek Wehbe, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian A committee of advisers appointed by Lebanon's president, parliament speaker, and prime minister is drafting a comprehensive response to U.S. proposals. These include the disarmament of Hezbollah and Palestinian factions, the demarcation of the Lebanese-Syrian border—particularly regarding the Shebaa Farms—and advancing economic and political reforms. The presidency is represented by a senior military officer, the parliament by a political adviser, and the government by a diplomat, with support from technical experts. The secrecy surrounding the process stems from the belief that this response represents Lebanon's last critical opportunity, having previously squandered multiple chances. Lebanese officials are racing to finalize the response before July 7, the tentative date for U.S. envoy Tom Barrack's return to Beirut. They understand that Washington expects a clear, detailed plan with a timeline to be met by gradual reciprocal Israeli measures—such as phased weapons handovers in exchange for withdrawals from specific areas and the release of detainees. LBCI has learned that a significant portion of the response has already been drafted. Lebanon has agreed to some points, while others require clarification—chief among them the 'step-for-step' principle. Beirut maintains that because Israel occupies part of its territory, Israel must take the first step before Lebanon reciprocates. Regarding the Shebaa Farms, Lebanon plans to submit documents to relevant parties, including the United States and the United Nations, to prove its claim to the area. It is also willing to accept a U.N.-supervised demarcation process. The U.S. envoy has made Lebanese-Syrian cooperation on border issues a condition for moving forward to avoid future disputes. Meanwhile, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri is eager to finalize a comprehensive proposal and initiate implementation in July. Hezbollah has adopted a relatively flexible position but insists that Israel must begin its withdrawal, halt attacks, and release detainees to reassure its support base before any decision is made. Once the response is complete, the committee will present a proposed timeline to the Americans, who are seeking swift progress. On-the-ground coordination will reportedly involve the ceasefire monitoring committee, which will convey Israeli requests to the Lebanese army regarding the disarmament of specific sites. LBCI also learned that Washington has pledged to persuade Israel to adopt the 'step-for-step' approach once Lebanon finalizes its response and issues a cabinet declaration affirming that all arms will be under state authority. In return, Lebanon is seeking U.S. guarantees that Israel will fulfill its commitments and help resolve any outstanding issues in the event of Israeli obstruction. The structure and substance of Lebanon's response will be central to any potential agreement. Beirut recognizes that the time for political maneuvering has come to an end.

Israel strikes Lebanon in one of biggest attacks since November ceasefire
Israel strikes Lebanon in one of biggest attacks since November ceasefire

Ya Libnan

time7 hours ago

  • Ya Libnan

Israel strikes Lebanon in one of biggest attacks since November ceasefire

One person died and 21 others were injured, Lebanon's Health Ministry said. Israel said it was targeting an underground Hezbollah site. By Rachel Chason , Suzan Haidamous , Mohamad El Chamaa and Lior Soroka BEIRUT — Israel pounded southern Lebanon with a series of airstrikes Friday in what analysts and officials on the ground said were some of the most significant strikes since Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire in November. Video showed massive plumes of gray smoke rising above a hilltop, and Lebanon's official National News Agency reported an Israeli airstrike hit a residential building in Nabatieh. The Washington Post was unable to immediately verify who or what struck the residential building in Nabatieh; neither the Israel Defense Forces nor Lebanon's government responded to requests for comment. Lebanon's Health Ministry said one person was killed and 21 were injured during the strikes. The National News Agency reported there were more than 20 hits in under 15 minutes. The Israel Defense Forces said Israeli air force fighter jets targeted a 'significant underground project' used by Hezbollah in the Beaufort Ridge in southern Lebanon. The site was 'completely taken out of use' following the strikes, the IDF said. Beaufort Ridge is about five miles from Nabatieh. In a separate Arabic-language statement , spokesman Avichay Adraee said the IDF did not target a civilian building. Instead, he said, a rocket, stored by Hezbollah inside the building, 'was launched and hit the civilian building' as a result of Israel's strike. Adraee accused Hezbollah of endangering civilians by not giving up its arsenal to the Lebanese government, saying he expected the Lebanese military to confiscateHezbollah's weapons. Lebanon's government, which has pledged to implement the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire, condemned the attacks, with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam saying they represented 'a blatant violation of national sovereignty … and pose a threat to the stability we are keen to preserve.' Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Israel 'continues to flout regional and international resolutions' and called on the international community to intervene. The Trump administration argues a ceasefire between Israel and Iran could help secure peace on Israel's other fronts , including Gaza, as well as lead to normalization agreements with some of Israel's Arab neighbors. But in southern Lebanon, even since the two sides agreed to a ceasefire seven months ago, Israeli strikes have remained a near-daily occurrence, analysts say. In its Friday statement, Israel said Hezbollah had been making 'rehabilitation attempts' in southern Lebanon; the November ceasefire deal required Lebanese forces to ensure that all Hezbollah infrastructure is removed from the area. Between Nov. 27 — the day after the deal was announced — and June 9, 172 Lebanese deaths and 409 injuries have been reported as a result of Israeli attacks, said Hussein Chaabane, a Beirut-based investigative journalist with Legal Agenda who has been tracking the strikes. Chaabane's toll does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Despite a mid-February deadline for Israeli forces to withdraw, the IDF has remained in five strategic positions in southern Lebanon close to the border. And entire areas in the south have become 'unofficial buffer zones,' where residents who dare to travel face sniper fire and drone strikes by the IDF, Chaabane said. He said the strikes on Friday were significant — and caused fear in the surrounding community — because of the size of the explosions. 'What is happening is more than just the ceasefire being violated,' Chaabane said. 'It is the transformation of the south of Lebanon. … It has become a de facto security strip.' The IDF did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Chaabane's report. Hassan Wazni, the director of Nabih Berri Governmental Hospital, said the strikes were so strong that they shook the ground, reminding him of the period of heavy strikes last year David Wood, a Lebanon analyst with the International Crisis Group, said that while some people in other parts of the country feel the war has ended, 'that has never been the case in southern Lebanon.' 'There is a feeling that the ceasefire doesn't protect them, that Israel is doing whatever it pleases in a military sense, and that the United States — which is the chair of the monitoring committee — is allowing them to do so,' he said. He referred to a committee including representatives from Lebanon, Israel, France, the United States and the United Nations that is charged with monitoring violations of the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire. Wood added that the longer the strikes continue and civilians are killed, the more frustration in southern Lebanon could grow, including with the new government for failing to protect its residents. 'The longer this goes on and the state can't protect them,' he warned, 'the more likely people are to turn to Hezbollah and groups like it that could emerge.' WASHINGTON POST

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store