US Imposes Sanctions On Hezbollah Network Members | NewsX World

Hinzugefügt: 2026-05-22

[00:00:00]things first story is got to do with the United States and sanctions. The United States has imposed sanctions on nine individuals accused of helping Hezbollah undermine Lebanon's sovereignty in the latest American effort to dismantle the group's global financial networks.

[00:00:19]>> [snorts] >> The US Treasury Department says that those designated were obstructing the peace process in Lebanon and impeding Hezbollah's disarmament. The department has added that those sanctioned include four Hezbollah members, among them a leader in the group's executive council and an elected member of the Lebanese Parliament. On the list is Iran's ambassador designate to Lebanon, Mohammad Reza Sheibani, two security officials with the Hezbollah-allied Amal Movement and two Lebanese security officials accused of sharing intelligence with Hezbollah over the past year. The State Department has warned that anyone in politics, business, or the security services found aiding Hezbollah would face real consequences.

[00:01:07]Washington is also offering up to $10 million for information leading to the disruption of Hezbollah's financial operations. Hezbollah hit back calling the sanctions a badge of honor and saying that they would have absolutely no practical effect on the group's strategic choices.

[00:01:28]Now, joining us live to tell us more is Ambassador Mahesh Sachdev, a former diplomat and former High Commissioner of India to Nigeria, joining us live from New Delhi. Mr. Sachdev, thank you so much for joining us. What's your take on how Hezbollah is treating these sanctions as far as Hezbollah calling them a badge of honor?

[00:01:51]I think Hezbollah realizes that it has uh a bunch of all his rigid with the United States and and this is not only due to adversarial relations that it has with Israel.

[00:02:14]It is also because United States has long considered Hezbollah to be a terrorist organization.

[00:02:22]Uh, it has a long history with it. Uh, right from the beginning of 1980s when a barrack of US Marines in Beirut was blown up by recently formed Hezbollah.

[00:02:41]Later on cascading it to the current times there is also this backdrop of a third round of peace talks between Israel and United States hosted by Americans at the State Department.

[00:03:02]Lebanese government itself has asked Hezbollah to be disarmed, something that has not been possible given the relative weakness of the security forces of Lebanon as compared to Hezbollah.

[00:03:22]Uh, but this puts all three interlocutors Israel, Lebanese government as well as the United States on one side which is adversarially placed vis-a-vis Hezbollah. Hezbollah's uh, current strength in the parliament has come down since the last election, but it continues to be substantive. And uh, current sanctions that have been imposed by United States include a number of MPs that belong to Amal and Hezbollah, two parties that are representative of Shia group uh which is the core support base of Hezbollah. So, that it seems to be an attempt to uh circle Hezbollah uh which is militarily facing an onslaught despite ceasefire by the Israeli defense force.

[00:04:34]And politically it is uh domestically surrounded by the uh Hezbollah agnostic government and right-wing political parties. Uh internationally now Americans seem to have completed the third part of the circle by imposing fresh sanctions.

[00:04:57]Uh Iran has uh been the backer of Hezbollah, but Iran has its own limits at the moment uh when it has recently been devastated by the 39-day war uh with United States and Israel. And the current peace talks uh negotiations towards a peace treaty are in the final stages.

[00:05:28]Uh with the Iran has tried to cover the ceasefire with Hezbollah with Lebanon.

[00:05:36]Uh In addition to ceasefire in the uh country area itself, but Americans and Israelis don't seem to be buying that.

[00:05:47]Uh this may be one of the reasons why the negotiations between Israel between the Iran and United States mediated by Pakistan are taking so long.

[00:06:00]Uh, so uh, that is where it lies and uh, Hezbollah would uh, now uh, has formidable odds facing it militarily.

[00:06:12]Uh, its support base to be shrinking with uh, the uh, population of Southern Lebanon uh, must relocate as Israel expands its buffer zone.

[00:06:26]Uh, and Southern uh, Beirut where where which is also a Shia base has come under Israeli attacks repeatedly.

[00:06:38]So, uh, let's hope uh, that the situation calms down uh, between five wars and a peaceful resolution of the political crisis uh, between uh, Hezbollah and the uh, Lebanese government can be formed.

[00:06:59]All right, Mr. Sachdeva, please stay with us. We'll be right back with you.

[00:07:05]Next up, we have some news with regards to the Ebola virus. An angry mob has set fire to Ebola isolation tents in a town