US sanctions two former Lebanese ministers over Hezbollah links

As minister of finance, Khalil “worked to move money in a manner that would avoid U.S. sanctions enforcement from government ministries to Hezbollah-associated institutions,” Treasury said. Khalil, a top aide to parliament speaker Nabih Berri, is also accused of allowing a Hezbollah affiliate to avoid paying taxes on electronics imports.

The Amal movement responded to Khalil’s designation with a statement that “this decision will not change our convictions and our national and patriotic principles at all.”

Hezbollah, both a powerful political faction and militant group in Lebanon, is considered a foreign terrorist organization by the United States. The Donald Trump administration has blacklisted more than 90 Hezbollah-affiliated individuals and entities since 2017.

The sanctions come just over a month after the explosion that tore through Beirut, leaving 190 dead and thousands more wounded. Officials have blamed the Aug. 4 blast on a stockpile of ammonium nitrate that, despite repeated warnings, was stored improperly at Beirut’s port for six years. 

The Treasury Department didn’t assign any blame to Finyanus and Khalil, but said the explosion had amplified calls for a more transparent and accountable government in Lebanon. 

The small Mediterranean country is experiencing its worst economic crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war. But foreign donors, including the United States, say Lebanon must enact long-promised reforms before receiving further financial assistance. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker, who visited Beirut last week, told reporters on Tuesday to “absolutely expect” more sanctions.