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Hezbollah's Funding Sources: Between Iranian Oil and Lebanese Pockets
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Hezbollah's exploitation of Lebanon's economic crisis through financial institutions like Al-Qard Al-Hassan Association highlights its ability to adapt and benefit from local conditions to strengthen
Avichay Adraee, the spokesperson for the Israeli army, revealed in a video clip posted on the X platform Hezbollah's funding sources, indicating that the money comes either from "stealing it from Lebanese citizens or smuggling it from Iran to Lebanon".
According to Adraee, Iran follows three main methods to finance Hezbollah:
Through the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, where oil and money are transferred to Syria by land and air. The oil is sold to various companies, such as the "BS" company owned by the Qaterji family, generating millions of dollars for Hezbollah.
Transferring money from Quds Force oil sales via air flights under diplomatic cover to the Iranian embassy in Beirut, and then to Hezbollah.
Supporting Iranian-sponsored economic projects, including importing gas to Syria and establishing civilian companies in Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and Turkey.
As for the money that doesn't come from Iran, Hezbollah obtains it directly from Lebanese citizens, exploiting the Al-Qard Al-Hassan Association to make profits at their expense.
Adraee concluded his post by saying: "If we were living in a different reality, this money would be used to rebuild the state instead of manufacturing missiles."
This revelation comes in the context of ongoing Israeli efforts to highlight Hezbollah's financial activities and its relations with Iran. This information raises questions about the extent of the impact of this complex financial network on Lebanon's struggling economy and on regional stability in general.
These revelations also point to the challenges facing the international community in its attempts to limit Hezbollah's financial and military influence in the region, especially with the diversity of its funding sources and its penetration into various economic sectors.
Levant - Agencies
