How Lebanese banks are handling US sanctions on Hezbollah

It remains to be seen whether US sanctions will hurt Hezbollah or merely inconvenience banks and their customers.
People walk outside Lebanon's Central Bank in Beirut November 6, 2014. Lebanon's central bank prides itself on being one of the few institutions to survive the country's 15-year civil war intact. Now, as a new war rages in neighbouring Syria, that role is more important than ever. Picture taken November 6, 2014. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi (LEBANON - Tags: BUSINESS SOCIETY) - RTR4EQW4
People walk outside Lebanon's Central Bank in Beirut, Nov. 6, 2014. - REUTERS/Jamal Saidi
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Jean Aziz (Lebanon Pulse)
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Several media and political reports in Beirut have addressed the impact recent US sanctions are having against Hezbollah. But so far, the reports appear to be much ado about nothing.

On Dec. 18, US President Barack Obama signed the Hizballah International Financing Prevention Act of 2015, imposing sanctions on foreign financial institutions that deal with Hezbollah and its affiliated Al-Manar TV channel.

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