Israeli military "Attacks on Hezbollah's financial channel, in response to Iranian aid"

"Everything is a response to Iran," Israeli military chief Herji Halebi said in reference to airstrikes on Hezbollah-linked financial institutions across Lebanon.

After visiting southern Lebanon on the 21st local time to look at the front lines, Chief of Staff Halebi said, "The place where Iran funds and sends weapons is our target."

"Across Lebanon, we have hit about 30 targets for Hezbollah's financial system 'Alkard al-Hasan'," he said, noting that it is a place to receive funds from Iran to provide loans and to pay for Hezbollah terrorism.

Earlier, Lebanon's state-run NNA news agency reported that Israeli forces had struck three branches of Hezbollah-linked financial institution Al-Qard al-Hasan in the southern suburbs of Beirut.

The Israeli military has said it plans to attack "Alkard al-Hasan" facilities across Lebanon to disrupt Hezbollah's financial network.

Alkard al-Hasan' is not registered with the International Association for Interbank Communications, which connects financial institutions around the world, but it operates like a bank and is estimated to be used by about 300,000 people, including the Shiite population in Lebanon, the Israeli military said.

Meanwhile, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights condemned the Israeli strikes in a statement as "widespread damage to civilian facilities in various cities and residential areas."