WASHINGTON — The United States on Thursday sanctioned nine Hezbollah-linked individuals it accused of “obstructing the peace process in Lebanon,” as Israeli strikes on the southern part of the country continued despite a ceasefire.But the Iran-backed Hezbollah claimed thatthe newly imposed US sanctions targeting members of its parliamentary bloc and Lebanese security officials were meant to boost Israel after what it described as failures in Lebanon.The US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on nine individuals it said enabled Hezbollah to “undermine Lebanon’s sovereignty” and designated them “for obstructing the peace process in Lebanon and impeding the disarmament” of the group.Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called Hezbollah a terrorist organization and said it must be fully disarmed.“Treasury will continue to take action against officials who have infiltrated the Lebanese government and are enabling Hezbollah to wage its senseless campaign of violence against the Lebanese people and obstruct lasting peace,” Bessent said.Those sanctioned included Hezbollah lawmakers Ibrahim al-Moussawi, Hussein Al-Hajj Hassan, Hassan Fadlallah, and executive council leader Mohamed Abdel-Mottaleb Fanich, along with Lebanese military and security officials accused by Washington of sharing “important intelligence” with Hezbollah.Washington has also sanctioned Mohammad Reza Sheibani, the Iranian ambassador-designate to Lebanon who was declared persona non grata and ordered to leave the country in March.Others sanctioned on Thursday included Ahmad Asaad Baalbaki and Ali Ahmad Safawi of Hezbollah political ally Amal, and serving Lebanese military officers Brig.-General Khattar Nasser Eldin and Col. Samir Hamadi.In a statement issued on Thursday, Hezbollah said the measures imposed by the US Departments of State and Treasury represented an attempt to intimidate “the free Lebanese people” and support Israeli actions against the country.It said the sanctions were intended to give Israel a “political boost” after the failure of its actions to deter the Lebanese people from exercising their legitimate right to resistance.The group said the sanctions would have “no practical impact” on its political choices or on the work of its officials.It also said that targeting Lebanese officers on the eve of Lebanese-Israeli meetings at the Pentagon represented an attempt to intimidate official security institutions and subject the Lebanese state to US pressure.The statement called on Lebanese authorities to defend the country’s constitutional, military and security institutions.The Amal Movement led by Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri also criticized the sanctions, calling them “unacceptable and unjustified.”The US move comes amid continued Israeli attacks across Lebanon despite a ceasefire that formally came into effect on April 17 and was later extended until the beginning of July.Hezbollah has wide-ranging support in Lebanon, with both an armed and a political wing, including elected members of parliament.The group has staunchly opposed recent direct peace talks between Lebanese and Israeli representatives. Washington and its ally Israel have called for the complete disarmament of the group.In a separate statement, the US State Department said it was offering a reward of up to $10 million “for information leading to the disruption of the financial mechanisms of Hezbollah.”Earlier in the day, Lebanon said an Israeli strike damaged a hospital in the country’s south.Since the start of the US-Israel war on Iran, Israeli soldiers have invaded and occupied part of south Lebanon, operating in an area that runs to around 10 kilometers (six miles) north of the border.Since March 2, Israel has carried out a large-scale offensive on Lebanon that has killed 3,073 people, wounded 9,362 others and displaced more than 1.6 million, about one-fifth of the country’s population, according to Lebanese officials.
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