Lebanese man linked to Hezbollah and Hamas found dead near Beirut

Mohammad Ibrahim Srour was accused by the US of transferring 'tens of millions of dollars' from Iran to the militant group in Gaza

Beit Meri is an affluent town near the Lebanese capital. Mohammad Ibrahim Srour's body was found at a villa near the town. Getty Images

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A Lebanese man, who was the subject of US sanctions for allegedly funnelling money from Iran to Hamas, was found shot dead at a villa outside Beirut.

The body of Mohammad Ibrahim Srour was discovered in the village of Beit Meri, a Lebanese security source told The National.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported late on Tuesday that the body of a man, 57, was found in an area near Beit Meri, an affluent town that overlooks Beirut. The man had three bullet wounds, it added.

He was found in possession of an undisclosed sum of money, a security source told AFP.

In a press conference, at which two Hezbollah MPs were present, his family said Mr Srour had been missing for a week before his body was discovered. The family said he was a money changer who had "never hurt anyone".

They called for a full investigation into the circumstances of his death but did not accuse any individual, group or government.

Mr Srour was subject to US sanctions and worked for financial institutions belonging to Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group, the source said. Hezbollah is an ally of Hamas and has traded almost daily cross-border fire with Israel since the start of the Gaza war.

In August 2019, the US Treasury imposed sanctions against several people including Mr Srour, who it called Muhammad Sarur.

The Treasury accused Mr Srour of funnelling “tens of millions of dollars” from the foreign operations arm of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps through Hezbollah “to Hamas for terrorist attacks originating from the Gaza Strip”.

Mr Srour served as a middleman between the IRCG's Quds Force and Hamas “and worked with Hezbollah operatives to ensure funds were provided” to the armed wing of Hamas, the Treasury said.

As of 2014, Mr Srour was "identified as in charge of all money transfers” between the Quds Force and Hamas's armed wing, it added.

He also “has an extensive history working at Hezbollah's sanctioned bank, Bayt Al Mal”, the Treasury said. Washington blacklisted the bank in 2006.