The United States’ Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced on Friday the designation of a Lebanon-based sanctions evasion network that supports Hezbollah's financial operations. This network, managed by Hezbollah’s finance team, is said to oversee commercial projects and oil smuggling operations that generate significant revenue for the group.
As part of the action, OFAC designated “five individuals and three associated companies” tied to Hezbollah. These targets include family members and close associates of high-ranking Hezbollah officials, marking a continued effort to dismantle the group’s financial infrastructure.
“This action supports the whole-of-government policy of maximum pressure on Iran and its terrorist proxies, like Hezbollah,” the statement said, referencing National Security Presidential Memorandum 2 issued on February 4. Additionally, the State Department’s Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program announced “a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the disruption of the financial mechanisms of Hezbollah.”
These actions were undertaken under Executive Order 13224, a counterterrorism authority targeting terrorist organizations and their supporters. Hezbollah has previously been designated a Specially Designated Global Terrorist and a Foreign Terrorist Organization under the same executive order. The US reiterated its stance against Hezbollah, and vowed to continue using all available tools to neutralize the group’s threat to Lebanon and the broader region.
Comments