Hezbollah says new U.S. measures won’t affect group
BEIRUT — Hezbollah on Wednesday dismissed a multimillion-dollar reward offered by the Trump administration in return for information on two of its key operatives, describing it as an ongoing attempt to “demonize” the group.
The tougher U.S. measures, including a plan to further tighten sanctions imposed on Hezbollah, are part of a larger effort to ramp up pressure on Iran, which has expanded its influence across the region through the Lebanese militant group and other proxies.
U.S. and Israeli officials have expressed mounting concern about the expanding footprint of Hezbollah and other Iranianbacked forces in war-torn Syria, and are looking for ways to pressure Tehran. President Donald Trump is threatening to scuttle the landmark 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran, a process he could initiate in the coming days.
“The U.S. and Israel are concerned about Iran consolidating its position in Syria. With no reliable sign that either party is willing to do anything decisive about that, they’re left with options such as sanctions, arrest warrants and the like,” said Faysal Itani, a senior fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East.
A Hezbollah official told The Associated Press in Beirut Wednesday the U.S. measures will not affect the group. He was reacting to the State Department’s announcement Tuesday of a total of $12 million for information leading to the location, arrest or conviction of two senior commanders.
“It is part of the continuous efforts to demonize Hezbollah. They are false accusations that will not have any effect on the operational activities of Hezbollah,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with party regulations.