US Tightens Sanctions on Hezbollah, Links Group Directly to Iran's Regime

The United States announced new sanctions against Hezbollah on Thursday, alongside an updated official designation of the group as a "specially designated global terrorist organization." This administrative change explicitly connects Hezbollah's activities to the Iranian regime and the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. A US official clarified that Hezbollah was not newly listed but has been recognized as a foreign terrorist organization since 2001; the update emphasizes its role as a direct operational arm of Iran.

As part of the move, the US imposed personal sanctions on ten individuals suspected of involvement in networks smuggling funds to Hezbollah. Washington stated that these measures aim to directly disrupt Hezbollah's financing and money transfer channels that support its operations. Officials also stressed that these actions against Hezbollah are separate from a broader, more extensive plan targeting Iran itself.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced that on the upcoming Monday, she will hold a press conference to reveal further details about additional measures against Tehran, describing them as "the toughest sanctions in history."