Façade of the U.S. Treasury in Washington. (Illustrative photo: AFP)
The U.S. Treasury announced Friday that it has sanctioned "a global network funneling funds to Hezbollah." The network consists of "16 people and entities and is headed by Hezbollah financier and former public investment official, Alaa Hassan Hamieh." He served on the board and then as vice president of Lebanon’s Investment Development Authority from 2019 to 2025.
The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said that Hamieh "oversees a network of companies, run through family members and close associates, that launder money and raise funds for Hezbollah’s finance team." According to OFAC, "these individuals and companies — located in Lebanon, Syria, Poland, Slovenia, Qatar, and Canada — have been involved in numerous economic projects and are believed to have enabled the diversion of more than $100 million since 2020." This network constitutes an "essential source of funding for Hezbollah," the agency said in its statement.
"Hezbollah continues to divert funds that should benefit the Lebanese people in order to finance its terrorist operations. This measure targets key actors in its global financial network who support its militant activities," commented U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
'Millions of dollars for Hezbollah-linked projects'
OFAC explained that Hamieh owns, "directly or indirectly," several companies linked to Hezbollah, "some of which are used for procurement or money laundering." Through his brother, Mohammad Hassan Hamieh, Alaa is said by the U.S. Treasury to "track financial flows associated with these projects, many of which are carried out in collaboration with members of the Hezbollah finance team, including Mohammad al-Bazzal, his brother Rachid al-Bazzal [designated by the United States], as well as Ali Qasir, also designated by the United States and a member of Hezbollah’s finance team."
Alaa Hamieh is notably accused of "exploiting the Lebanese economy." According to OFAC, in early 2025, Hezbollah "was involved through his position in the disbursement of funds from a commercial agreement between Baghdad and Beirut intended to support Lebanon’s reconstruction." "Alaa Hamieh personally received millions of dollars for Hezbollah-linked projects as part of this agreement."
Among Hamieh’s network of companies are several firms of which Bahaa Addin Hashem, described by the U.S. Treasury as a "Syrian gray-market arms trafficker," is said to be a co-owner.
The State Department designated Hezbollah a "global terrorist organization" in October 2001 and a "foreign terrorist organization" in October 1997.
These new sanctions come as Hezbollah is more isolated than ever on the Lebanese domestic scene, particularly after the government decided in early March to ban all its "military and security actions." Since launching rocket fire on Israel on March 2 and Israel's immediate heavy response, Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in open warfare.
