Israeli army claims revealing Iranian financial network supporting Hezbollah, killing Lebanese money changer

The Israeli army revealed details on Wednesday about what it described as an Iranian mechanism for transferring funds to Hezbollah, announcing the killing of a Lebanese currency exchanger linked to the group. 

Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee shared on X, outlining a series of Israeli strikes targeting Hezbollah’s financial infrastructure.

"Yesterday, Israeli Air Force jets, guided by precise intelligence, carried out a strike in southern Lebanon, eliminating Haitham Abdullah Bakri, head of the 'Al-Sadiq' currency exchange network," Adraee wrote. "Bakri knowingly collaborated with Hezbollah to transfer funds in support of its terrorist activities."

According to the Israeli military, the Al-Sadiq network was used as an infrastructure for storing and transferring funds to finance Hezbollah’s military operations. “The Al-Sadiq network serves as a financial pipeline, operated under the guidance and funding of Iran's Quds Force,” Adraee stated.

“These funds are used for military purposes, including the acquisition of weapons, manufacturing equipment, and paying salaries to operatives, in addition to financing terror operations and sustaining Hezbollah’s broader terrorist activity,” he added.

Adraee also confirmed that last weekend, the Israeli army killed Behnam Shahriari, commander of Unit 190 of Iran’s Quds Force. "He exclusively oversaw the transfer of hundreds of millions of dollars annually to the Quds Force and its affiliates," Adraee posted.

“These financial transfers included routes involving exchange offices in Turkey, Iraq, and the UAE, connected to Lebanese networks. The targeting of Bakri and Shahriari delivers a severe blow to Iran’s financing routes for Hezbollah,” he said.