US sanctions financial entities and individuals allegedly linked to Hezbollah
The U.S. Treasury Department announced that it has taken action against entities and individuals that support Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Iraq’s Kata’ib Hezbollah.
In a statement, the Treasury charged that the two groups “fuel Iran’s destabilizing influence in the Middle East, endanger U.S. and partner forces, and facilitate extensive sanctions evasion schemes.”
“Spread across Iraq, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, and Türkiye, today’s targets underscore the global reach of the Iranian regime’s illicit networks and the serious threat posed by the terrorist proxy organizations that operate on its behalf,” the statement said.
It added that the Quds Force of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard “uses front companies to transfer funds derived from Iranian oil sales to exchange houses in the region.”
“IRGC-QF members in Lebanon work with Hezbollah financial officials to receive the funds in Lebanon via several Lebanese money exchangers,” the Treasury said, adding that Hussein Ibrahim, Abdallah Hamieh and U.S.-designated Mohamad Noureddine have also been involved in transferring these funds.
“Together these Lebanese businessmen and money changers constitute a significant channel for transferring money from the IRGC-QF to Hezbollah. Between May 2025 and September 2025, Hussein Ibrahim and Abdallah Hamieh transferred hundreds of millions of dollars from the IRGC-QF to Hezbollah. Once the money is in Lebanon, U.S.-designated Hezbollah member Ossama Jaber worked with Ghaith Hussein Wehbe (Wehbe), a Hezbollah money courier, to personally collect money from these cash exchangers on behalf of Hezbollah financial officials,” the Treasury claimed.
It said that Hezbollah uses these funds to “purchase weapons, manufacture equipment, and pay salaries to its members.”
“U.S.-designated Hezbollah financier Hamdi Zaher El Dine (Hamdi) directs and operates several Lebanese gold and cash exchanges through family members and close associates to evade sanctions. While Hamdi Zaher El Dine is not listed on the legal structure of these Lebanese exchange houses, he directs family members who either work in, or are in the legal structure of, these exchange houses,” the Treasury added.
“Hamdi’s sister, Mervat Jamil Zahreldine, works at two of these exchanges on Hamdi’s behalf, holding a position at Yousef Ibrahim Mansour and Partner for Exchange, and Power of Attorney at Gold Pro SARL. While Gold Pro SARL is not licensed by the Central Bank of Lebanon to import gold, Hamdi uses hawalas to purchase gold from Dubai, UAE, and then uses couriers to bring the gold into Lebanon,” the Treasury said.
Similarly, at the alleged direction of Hamdi, Syria- and Turkey-based Amir Al-Makansi operates a gold exchange company based in Syria with additional offices in Istanbul, Turkey.
“While this exchange house primarily deals in gold, it also uses Lebanese exchange houses to change currency for Hamdi in large denomination bills that are known in the Lebanese exchange sector to be frequently sourced to Hezbollah,” the Treasury said.
It added that the aforementioned individuals and entities are being designated for having “materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Hezbollah.”
Source: Naharnet
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