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The United States imposed sanctions against six individuals affiliated with Kataeb Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed Iraqi militia. The militia is accused of orchestrating recent attacks against US forces in Iraq and Syria following the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7.
The sanctioned individuals include:
- The militia’s foreign affairs chief.
- A member of its governing council.
- A military commander.
- A media spokesman.
These sanctions restrict their access to US properties and bank accounts and prohibit business dealings with Americans.
The imposition of sanctions comes in the wake of drone attacks on US bases in Iraq, escalating regional tensions post the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. Two US defense officials confirmed three additional attacks on US military facilities in Iraq and Syria, tallying the total number of such incidents to at least 60. The targeted bases included Al Harir Air Base in Erbil, Al Asad Air Base in Iraq, and Tall Baydar in Syria, with varying degrees of damage and casualties.
Kataeb Hezbollah, which has received support from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force, has been designated as a terrorist organization by the US State Department.
Brian E. Nelson, Treasury’s under-secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said the US is “fully committed to security and stability in the Middle East and are steadfast in our efforts to disrupt these destabilizing activities.”
This comes as the war in Gaza has led to significant casualties, including at least 11,470 Palestinians and approximately 1,200 Israelis.
