By Blessing Fali
The United States has imposed fresh sanctions on 10 individuals accused of being part of a financial network that transfers money to Hezbollah, while accusing the Lebanese armed group of operating under the control of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, IRGC.
The US Treasury Department said Hezbollah’s legal designation had been amended to state that the group operates in service of the Iranian regime and under the command of the IRGC’s elite Quds Force.
The newly sanctioned individuals allegedly include members of a network involved in moving large amounts of cash to Hezbollah through commercial flights, currency exchange houses and front companies across several countries. US officials said the network was designed to help Hezbollah obtain foreign currency while bypassing international sanctions.
Among those targeted is Turkish businessman Yunus Alper Yilmaz, whom US authorities accuse of managing the regional cash-smuggling operation.
The sanctions freeze any assets the targeted individuals may hold under US jurisdiction and prohibit US persons from conducting transactions with them.
Washington said the latest action is part of broader efforts to disrupt Hezbollah’s financing networks and weaken Iran’s regional influence.
The move comes amid heightened tensions involving the United States, Iran, Israel and Iran-backed groups across the Middle East.
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