Trump sanctions Lebanese Hezballah

Washington Free Beacon:

The Trump administration on Tuesday issued a bevy of new sanctions on a terror network of Lebanese Hezbollah agents who have been performing "Iran's bidding" across the region, according to the Treasury Department.

The terror network reaches into the upper echelons of the Lebanese government, according to Trump administration officials seeking to disrupt the network's activities and further penalize the Iranian regime for its regional support of jihadi militants. The three individuals hit with new sanctions are accused of using their positions in the Lebanese government to advance Hezbollah's terror ideology and the interests of the hardline Iranian regime.

The new sanctions come as the Trump administration seeks to use federal resources to thwart Iran's development of nuclear weapons. Iran is poised to cross major thresholds on the amount of nuclear material it stockpiles inside the country, a breach of the landmark nuclear deal that Trump withdrew the U.S. from last year.

"Hezbollah uses its operatives in Lebanon's parliament to manipulate institutions in support of the terrorist group's financial and security interests, and to bolster Iran's malign activities" Sigal Mandelker, the Treasury Department's under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in a statement accompanying the new sanctions.

"Hezbollah threatens the economic stability and security of Lebanon and the wider region, all at a cost to the Lebanese people," Mandelker said. "The United States will continue to support efforts of the Lebanese government to protect its institutions from exploitation by Iran and its terrorist proxies, and to secure a more peaceful and prosperous future for Lebanon."

The new designations will hit Hezbollah members of parliament Amin Sherri and Muhammad Hasan Ra'd, as well as a Hezbollah security official, Wafiq Safa, "for acting for or on behalf of Hezbollah."

"This action highlights how Hezbollah uses its political power to corrupt and exploit Lebanon's financial and security elements, taking advantage of the country's democratic system and values," the Treasury Department said. "Today's designations also underscore that there is no distinction between Hezbollah's political and violent activities. Hezbollah itself makes no distinction between its military and political wings, as Hezbollah's own leaders have acknowledged publicly."

Both Amin Sherri and Muhammad Hasan Ra'd are accused by the Trump administration of using their place in Lebanon's parliament to aid Hezbollah and its Iranian patrons.
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Hezballah is an evil organization which killed US Marines and has been at war with Israel.  They are in the dope business which they used to finance their terrorist operations.  The Obama administration ignored theri illicit activity to get theri bad deal with Iran.