The Arab Gulf states have begun taking practical and executive measures sanctioning Hezbollah’s apparatus and entities supporting or dealing with it. Their actions stem from the March 2 decision by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.

Saudi Arabia was the first to act, having taken steps even before the GCC decision. On Feb. 26, the Saudi Ministry of Interior blacklisted three Lebanese men and four Lebanese companies for ties to Hezbollah and extended sanctions on them aimed at freezing their assets in the kingdom. Saudi citizens and residents are prohibited from dealing with these individuals and companies —Vatech Sarl, Le Hua Electronic Field Co. Limited, Aero Skyone Co. Limited and Labico Sal Offshore — by order of Royal Decree A/44, targeting terrorists and their supporters. On March 3, the Ministry of Interior announced its intention to prosecute citizens and residents who sympathize, collaborate with or finance Hezbollah's militia.

The Lebanese awoke March 17 to a jarring headline in the Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Seyassah: “Kuwait bans Syrians, Lebanese and Gulf nationals from entering the country or from renewing permits.” The article reported that Kuwait had already banned a number of Lebanese and Syrians with ties to Hezbollah and the Islamic State (IS).

That same day, the Saudi newspaper Okaz, which is close to Saudi decision-making circles, published the article “Hezbollah ministers banned from Arab conferences.” The newspaper reported that ministers affiliated or allied with Hezbollah would be barred from attending Arab League council meetings, a move affecting the Lebanese ministers of foreign affairs, culture, transportation, industry, energy and education, as well as ministers of state for parliamentary affairs and public works.