In first, US sanctions Lebanon military, intel officials for aiding Hezbollah
New tranche of sanctions marks a warning shot from Washington as Senate Republicans threaten to freeze funding to the Lebanese Armed Forces if it does not move more aggressively to disarm Hezbollah.
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration on Thursday announced new sanctions targeting Lebanese security officials for the first time, along with four Hezbollah-affiliated lawmakers and the Iranian ambassador in Beirut, all accused of assisting the militant group in evading US-backed disarmament efforts by the Lebanese military.
What happened: The sanctions include eight Lebanese nationals, among them four parliamentarians affiliated with Hezbollah: Hassan Fadlallah, Ibrahim al-Moussawi, Hussein al-Hajj Hassan and Mohamed Abdel-Mottaleb Fanich — a former minister who, according to the US Treasury Department, is now leading Hezbollah's executive council.
Ahmad Asaad Baalbaki and Ali Ahmad Safawi, two security officers linked to the Amal Movement led by Lebanon's speaker of parliament, Nabih Berri, were also blacklisted. Safawi was described in Lebanese press reports as an Amal security official based in Baalbek and the militia's commander in the south. He previously directed attacks against Israel, the Treasury alleged on Thursday.
The new sanctions also hit Iran’s ambassador-designate to Beirut, Mohammad Reza Sheibani.
