Shafaq News- Washington/ Beirut

The United States on Tuesday imposed new sanctions targeting “financial mechanisms” used by Lebanon’s Hezbollah, including a local gold exchange and a regional procurement and shipping network.

In a statement, the US Treasury Department said it designated Jood SARL, a gold exchange operating in Lebanon, alleging it converts Hezbollah-linked gold into cash and operates under the supervision of Al-Qard Al-Hassan, aHezbollah-controlled financial institution designated by the US since 2007.

It also designated an international procurement and commodities shipping network linked to Ali Qasir, whom US officials describe as Iran-based, with associates and companies operating across Iran, Syria, Russia, and Turkiye.

“Hizballah [Hezbollah] is a threat to peace and stability in the Middle East. Treasury will work to cut these terrorists off from the global financial system to give Lebanon a chance to be peaceful and prosperous again,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on X.

Washington designated Hezbollah as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in 1997 and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity in 2001. In July 2025, the Treasury announced sweeping sanctions against allegedly Hezbollah-linked financial operatives and networks, including multiple senior officials and an oil smuggling network accused of blending and selling Iranian crude, as well as maritime companies alleged to be part of a “shadow fleet” shipping oil in ways that benefited the group’s backers.

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