US sanctions Lebanese individuals, companies with alleged ties to Hezbollah

“Hezbollah profits from the sale of goods vital to the Lebanese peoples’ health and economy, such as pharmaceuticals and gasoline,” said U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

By JNS

The United States on Wednesday sanctioned 15 Lebanese individuals and companies allegedly tied to a part of the U.S.-designated terrorist group Hezbollah’s financial support network called the Martyrs Foundation.

Atlas Holding was designated by the United States for allegedly being owned or controlled by the Martyrs Foundation, along with senior Atlas official Kassem Mohamad Ali Bazzi, and 10 Atlas-connected firms,  the U.S. Treasury Department announced.

Jawad Nur-al-Din and Sheikh Yusuf Aasi were also sanctioned for being leaders or officials of the Martyrs Foundation, which was designated by the United States for supporting terrorism in July 2007, according to the Treasury Department.

Mirath S.A.L., which is owned or controlled by Jawad Nur-al-Din, was also designated on Wednesday.

“Hezbollah profits from the sale of goods vital to the Lebanese peoples’ health and economy, such as pharmaceuticals and gasoline,” U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. “The Trump administration stands with the Lebanese people, and we are committed to exposing and holding accountable Hezbollah’s terror-funding business schemes.”

In a statement released by the State Department, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, “Today’s designation will continue the U.S. effort to disrupt Hezbollah’s financial facilitation networks and expose its manipulation of the Lebanese political and economic arenas to bolster its influence.”

Wednesday’s announcement is part of the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran and its proxies including Hezbollah, since the United States withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal in May 2018, reimposing sanctions, along with enacting new financial penalties against Tehran.