A Hezbollah flag near the Lebanon-Israel border on May 16, 2021 in Adaisseh, Lebanon. Photo: Daniel Carde via Getty Images
The Treasury Department on Friday announced sanctions against "financial facilitators" and companies connected to Iranian-backed Hezbollah.
Why it matters: The three people — Adel Diab, Ali Mohamad Daoun and Jihad Salem Alame — and 10 companies targeted by the new sanctions helped Hezbollah obtain funds through global "networks of companies that disguise themselves as legitimate businesses," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Friday.
What they're saying: “Through businessmen like those designated today, [the group] gains access to material and financial support through the legitimate commercial sector to fund its acts of terrorism and attempts to destabilize Lebanon’s political institutions,” Treasury's statement said.
- Hezbollah's actions "threaten the security, stability, and sovereignty of the Lebanese people," Blinken said.
- "The sanctions evasion efforts of those designated today are a stark example of how [the group] abuses the international financial system to fund its acts of terrorism and illicit activities."
Details: The sanctions prohibit the individuals and entities from engaging in transactions within the U.S. or with Americans unless authorized by the Office of Foreign Assets Control. All property and interests in the U.S. will also be blocked.