The US State Department announced the imposition of sanctions on nine people it said were “facilitating Hezbollah’s work and undermining Lebanon’s sovereignty,” considering that their support for the party serves the “malignant Iranian agenda” and obstructs the path of peace and recovery in the country. US State Department spokesman Thomas Piggott said in a statement that Hezbollah's commitment to what he described as "terrorism" and its refusal to disarm prevent the Lebanese government from achieving stability and prosperity. The statement explained that the sanctions target people accused of obstructing the party’s disarmament, including members of the Lebanese Parliament and an Iranian diplomat who Washington said “violates Lebanon’s sovereignty,” in addition to Lebanese security officials accused of exploiting their positions for the benefit of the party. The US State Department affirmed that the United States is “committed to supporting the Lebanese people and their legitimate institutions,” noting that its “Rewards for Justice” program has allocated a reward of up to $10 million for information that helps disrupt Hezbollah’s financial mechanisms. The statement stressed that “this is only the beginning,” warning that anyone who “protects or cooperates with this terrorist organization or undermines Lebanon’s sovereignty will be held accountable.” Washington also affirmed that “a stable, secure, and independent Lebanon requires the complete disarmament of Hezbollah and the Lebanese government’s restoration of its exclusive authority over security files throughout the country,” declaring its readiness to help Lebanon “build a more peaceful and prosperous future.” The US State Department indicated that these measures were taken in accordance with US Executive Order 13224 to combat terrorism, while the United States has classified “Hezbollah” as a foreign terrorist organization since 1997. Names of individuals included in the sanctions list The targets were divided into two main categories: 1. Political representatives of Hezbollah: Muhammad Abd al-Muttalib Fneish (Mohamed Fneish): He leads the Executive Council of Hezbollah, and is responsible for reorganizing the administrative and institutional structure of the party. He is a former deputy and minister of youth and sports. Hassan Nizam al-Din Fadlallah (Hassan Fadlallah): Member of the Lebanese Parliament for Hezbollah since 2005, he contributed to establishing “Al-Nour” Radio and managing “Al-Manar” Channel. Ibrahim Al-Musawi: Chairman of the Hezbollah Media Committee and current member of the Lebanese Parliament. Hussein Haj Hassan: A member of Hezbollah since 1982 and a member of parliament since 1996, he is considered a key figure in opposition to the party’s disarmament. 2. Hezbollah’s security and political partners: Mohammad Reza Shibani: Iranian ambassador-designate to Lebanon, whom the Lebanese Foreign Ministry declared “persona non grata” and ordered his expulsion from Beirut for violating diplomatic norms. Ahmed Asaad Baalbaki: The security official of the Amal Movement, accused of coordinating with Hezbollah to display force and intimidate political opponents. Ali Ahmed Safawi: Commander of the Amal Movement militia in southern Lebanon, working under Baalbaki’s command, he coordinated with Hezbollah to launch joint attacks and military operations against Israel. Brigadier General Khattar Nasser al-Din: Head of the National Security Department in the Lebanese General Directorate of General Security, is accused of sharing important intelligence information with Hezbollah during the ongoing conflict last year. Colonel Samir Hamadi: Head of the Dahiya branch of the Lebanese Army’s Intelligence Directorate, is also accused of sharing intelligence information with Hezbollah.