US sanctions global network accused of funding Hezbollah

WASHINGTON

The US Treasury on Friday imposed sanctions on a global network accused of diverting more than $100 million to Hezbollah through financial schemes spanning multiple countries.

The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control said in a statement that the network allegedly involved 16 individuals and entities operating across the Middle East, Europe and North America.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement that the action targets “key actors within its global financial network that sustain its militant activities.”

Under the sanctions, all US-based assets of those designated are blocked, and Americans are generally prohibited from conducting transactions with them.

The move comes amid escalating tensions in Lebanon since early March amid cross-border attacks with Hezbollah, despite a ceasefire deal that has been in place since November 2024.

According to Lebanese authorities, at least 1,001 people have been killed and 2,584 injured in Israeli strikes across Lebanon since March 2.

The escalation follows a joint US-Israeli offensive on Iran launched on Feb. 28, which has killed around 1,300 people.

Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets.