Jerusalem, Oct 21 (IANS): Israeli Air Force (IAF) on Monday said that it conducted a series of targeted, intelligence-based strikes against dozens of facilities and sites used by Hezbollah's military arm to finance its terrorist activities against Israel.

The strikes were conducted in the areas of Beirut, southern Lebanon, and deep within Lebanese territory.

"These funds, which Hezbollah used for terror activities, were stored by the Al-Qard al-Hassan Association, which directly funds Hezbollah's terror activities, including the purchase of weapons and payments to operatives in Hezbollah's military wing," the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said in a statement.

"Hezbollah stores billions of dollars in the association's branches, including money that was directly held under the name of the terrorist organization," it added.

The IDF mentioned that, prior to launching strikes, numerous steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians, including advance warnings issued via different platforms to the civilian population in the area.

These strikes, it said, are part of the IDF's ongoing efforts to degrade Hezbollah's terror infrastructure, its military capabilities and ability to rebuild.

Meanwhile, in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli forces destroyed terrorist infrastructure and tunnel shafts in the Jabaliya area and eliminated dozens of terrorists in 36 hours.

"During the activity of the forces, the fighters of the 401st TDF eliminated a number of terrorists who posed a threat to the forces by firing tanks, in skirmishes and by directing air force strikes," the IDF revealed.

The Israeli forces of the Gaza Division, besides eliminating a number of terrorists who posed a threat to them in Rafah, also destroyed terrorist infrastructure and a weapons warehouse in the centre of the Gaza Strip.

In southern Lebanon, the IDF forces destroyed many stockpiles of weapons used by Hezbollah, including weapons, anti-tank missiles and launchers aimed at the settlements in the north of the country, RPG launchers, cartridges, charges, Grenades and other combat equipment.