The United States government expanded its economic blacklist on Thursday, levying sanctions against a pair of high-level Lebanese politicians and an array of commercial entities accused of sustaining a financial framework for Hezbollah, the Anadolu news agency reported.
American officials asserted that the targeted actors have actively impeded Lebanon's domestic stabilization efforts and stymied the mandated disarmament of the militant faction.
According to formal documentation released by the US Treasury Department, the newly penalized individuals include Sleiman Frangieh, the prominent figurehead of the Marada political movement, alongside Mahmud Qamati, a high-ranking representative sitting on Hezbollah's political bureau.
The federal designations simultaneously aimed at the broader commercial orbit of Alaa Hassan Hamieh - a figure already blacklisted by Washington. This multi-national network reaches across Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Oman, where investigators allege it relies on corporate fronts, strategic contracting, and illicit fundraising to line Hezbollah's coffers.
Commenting on the geopolitical mandates behind the freeze, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated, “Hezbollah must disarm for Lebanon to achieve a secure and prosperous future."
Echoing these concerns in a concurrent public brief, the US State Department emphasized the gridlock plaguing the Mediterranean nation, adding, “Hezbollah is the single biggest obstacle to Lebanon’s recovery and future, and holds the state hostage to a permanent state of conflict."
US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he expects a "complete ceasefire" in the Middle East, including between Hezbollah and Israel.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, "The United States is committed to PEACE, and we encourage everyone in the Middle East Region to maintain their commitment to allowing our negotiations to beautifully unfold. The Markets are loving what is happening with Oil Prices way down, and Stocks way up."
"We expect a complete Ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Israel. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
The memorandum of understanding between Iran and the US says that the signing of the agreement declares "the immediate and permanent termination" of fighting, including in Lebanon, and "ensuring the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon."
At the same, it adds that, "The final deal will confirm the permanent termination of the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and other provisions of this paragraph."