US sanctions 7 over Hezbollah finances
The sanctions indicate continued US pressure on the Lebanese organization under US President Joe Biden.
The US government sanctioned seven people Tuesday who are allegedly connected to the finances of the Lebanese military and political organization Hezbollah.
The sanctions focused on Al-Qard al-Hassan, which Hezbollah critics say is the group’s financial arm. Ibrahim Ali Daher, head of Hezbollah’s Central Finance Unit, was among those sanctioned. He is said to oversee the group’s budget, including funds allegedly for killing opponents and military activities. The other six designated individuals used their personal accounts to evade US sanctions on Al-Qard al-Hassan and transfer funds on its behalf, the Treasury Department said in a press release.
Hezbollah is a prominent political actor in Lebanon in addition to its military activities. The organization is heavily backed by Iran, and sometimes clashes with neighboring Israel. Hezbollah also fights alongside the Syrian government against rebel forces in that country’s civil war.
The Treasury Department said Al-Qard al-Hassan “masquerades” as a nongovernmental organization and puts Lebanon’s economy at risk of sanctions.
