IDF hits Hezbollah funding sites in Beirut, kills Southern Front commander

The Israel Defense Forces overnight Wednesday struck two money exchange offices in the Beirut area used to finance the Hezbollah terrorist organization.

The two sites were identified as “Boa Chance,” owned by Hussein Ibrahim, and “Trade Point International,” owned by Mohamad Noureddine.

Hezbollah’s systematic use of money exchange offices for terror financing and money laundering—uncovered by the IDF a year ago—is one of the group’s primary methods for channeling and concealing Iranian funds, the IDF said.

The exchange offices were struck after the military identified that they continued transferring funds to Hezbollah, with the money used for terror activity against the State of Israel and its civilians.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Navy on Tuesday conducted a strike in Beirut that killed Hajj Yusuf Ismail Hashem, identified as Hezbollah’s commander of the Southern Front. The unit is responsible for carrying out terrorist activities targeting Israeli civilians and conducting combat operations against IDF soldiers in Southern Lebanon.

As commander of the unit, Hashem led the rehabilitation of Hezbollah and commanded rocket launches and hostile aerial attacks toward Israeli territory.

Over the years, he was also responsible for the “Nasser,” “Aziz,” and “Badr” units, which were tasked with combat against IDF soldiers in Southern Lebanon and with launching rockets toward the State of Israel.

Hashem, a senior commander with more than 40 years of experience in the Iranian terror proxy, assumed command of Hezbollah’s Southern Front following the elimination of Ali Karaki alongside Hassan Nasrallah in September 2024.