Report: More Lebanese individuals could face US sanctions
Washington took a significant step Thursday by imposing sanctions on two officers from the Lebanese Army and the General Security Directorate, accusing them of "sharing intelligence with Hezbollah."
The U.S. also slapped sanctions on three Hezbollah MPs, a Hezbollah ex-minister, two Amal Movement security officials, and the Iranian ambassador-designate to Lebanon.
According to information obtained by Al-Arabiya, the list of individuals recommended for sanctions is much longer, and U.S. intelligence agencies possess a list of "dozens of Lebanese Army officers proven to have collaborated with Hezbollah and leaked information to them."
The report also said that the matter is "not limited to Lebanese Shiite officers, but includes some from other sects, such as Christians."
Sources told Al-Arabiya that U.S. security and intelligence agencies accuse these officers of "two serious offenses: first, facilitating the passage of weapons to the area south of the Litani River after the army conducted large-scale operations to clear it of Hezbollah weapons and caches; and second, assisting Hezbollah members in bypassing security checkpoints to cross into the south and carry out new deployments."
The sources added that Iran and Hezbollah have managed, in recent weeks and months, to exploit numerous loopholes to rearm and finance the party.
One of the sources also said that U.S. intelligence is aware of "the presence of at least 100 Iranian Revolutionary Guard officers who have arrived in Lebanon in recent months, working to manage Hezbollah, including retraining, rearming, and smuggling operations."
The source explained that everything Hezbollah does north of the al-Zahrani River is under the direct management of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, while south of this line, the party's members operate with their Lebanese contingent.
Furthermore, the source clarified that "the Revolutionary Guard members carry Lebanese documents, including passports, and sometimes their accents are indistinguishable from those of Lebanese citizens or even Hezbollah members themselves."
