Allies of Hizbullah in Lebanon could be hit by US sanctions, US envoy David Schenker said Thursday (September 12th), AFP reported.
"In the future, we will designate, because we have to, individuals in Lebanon who are aiding and assisting Hizbullah, regardless of what their sect or religion is," the Assistant Secretary of Near Eastern Affairs told Lebanon's LBCI network.
The Iran-backed party has been a US designated terrorist group since 1997.
The warning comes amid an overall increase in US sanctions against Hizbullah and its backer, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
On August 29th, financial sanctions were imposed on the Jammal Trust Bank in Lebanon, which was accused of acting as a key financial institution for Hizbullah.
On Thursday, Schenker said the move did not "target a particular community".
"Hizbullah is exploiting your financial system and by law we have to designate these banks," he said.
In July, the US imposed sanctions on three senior Hizbullah officials in Lebanon, including two lawmakers, in the first such move against members of parliament.
