Israel strikes Al-Qard al-Hassan in Dahieh after warning

The Israeli army started a new wave of strikes on Dahieh on Monday, after it warned it would target branches of Al-Qard al-Hassan, a financial firm linked to Hezbollah.

Two Israeli airstrikes targeted a branch of Al-Qard al-Hassan in Sfeir in Beirut's southern suburbs. Other strikes targeted branches of the firm in other areas including Haret Hreik, Beer al-Abed, and Burj al-Barajneh.

The Israeli army said it was targeting Hezbollah's infrastructure in Dahieh.

The strikes killed one person and wounded twelve including a journalist.

The first two strikes on Sfeir destroyed the building housing al-Qard al-Hasan, and wounded the Lebanese journalist on site in the leg. Video footage showed what appeared to be two strikes on the building that were minutes apart.

The strikes on Sfeir were followed by more airstrikes on nearby areas, forcing Lebanese troops to close roads where al-Qard al-Hasan branches are located to ensure people's safety.

Israel says Hezbollah uses al-Qard al-Hasan to finance its military activities and has targeted several of the group's branches in southern and eastern Lebanon last week.

Earlier in the morning, before the warning, Israeli strikes targeted Hay al-Amerkan and Haret Hreik also in south Beirut.

Al-Qard al-Hassan, a U.S.-sanctioned financial firm, mainly operates in Hezbollah strongholds across Lebanon's south, east and Beirut's southern suburbs.

It is a lifeline for mainly Muslim Shiite communities who have been battling a years-long financial crisis in Lebanon that has locked people out of their bank deposits.

It says it has more than 30 branches nationwide, mainly in Hezbollah bastions such as Beirut's southern suburbs, but also in central Beirut and other major cities.