Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Mar 21: The United States has launched a major crackdown on a vast financial network accused of funnelling over $100 million to Hezbollah, imposing sanctions on individuals and companies operating across multiple countries.
The action was carried out by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), part of the US Department of the Treasury, which designated 16 individuals and entities linked to alleged Hezbollah financier Alaa Hassan Hamieh. Authorities claim he managed a web of businesses used for money laundering and fundraising activities tied to the group.
According to US officials, the network spans several countries, including Lebanon, Syria, Poland, Slovenia, Qatar, and Canada. Since 2020, it has reportedly been involved in multiple economic ventures that enabled the diversion of large sums of money.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accused Iran of backing global terrorism through proxy groups like Hezbollah, stating that such networks are used to spread instability beyond its borders. He further alleged that Hezbollah diverts resources meant for the Lebanese population to fund its militant operations.
The sanctions were imposed under Executive Order 13224, a legal framework designed to disrupt terrorist organisations and their financial support systems. Hezbollah has been listed by the United States as a Foreign Terrorist Organization since 1997 and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity since 2001.
Officials say Hezbollah finances both its military and social wings through complex revenue streams and sanctions-evasion tactics, often coordinated by its financial apparatus. The group is also accused of leveraging its influence within Lebanon’s political system to redirect funds for its own use.
Hamieh, a former senior figure in Lebanon’s investment authority, is alleged to have exploited his role in an Iraq-Lebanon reconstruction trade arrangement, steering contracts and funds toward Hezbollah-linked projects.
The sanctions also name several international operatives, including Syrian national Bahaa Addin Hashem and Lebanon-based Mohamad Jamil Salami, who was reportedly involved in a scheme to bypass sanctions using telecommunications equipment linked to an Iranian firm in Syria.
Additionally, Qatar-based businessman Raoof Fadel, associated with a logistics company tied to the network’s Canadian operations, has been designated.
Several companies operating under the “Seven Seas” and “Calllync” brands across Lebanon, Europe, and North America were also targeted. Authorities allege these firms were used to facilitate procurement, financial transfers, and money laundering in support of Hezbollah.
As a result of the sanctions, all assets belonging to the designated individuals and entities within US jurisdiction have been frozen. US citizens and entities are generally barred from conducting any transactions with them, tightening financial pressure on the network.