His fall would therefore deal a major blow to Tehran, significantly weaken
Hizballah, and dismantle the trilateral axis--the forces that may dominate Syria in the future are unlikely to seek an alliance with actors that helped Assad butcher his people.
Most striking, despite winning the 2009 parliamentary elections, the pro-west March 14 coalition that orchestrated the Cedar Revolution is today once again at the mercy of
Hizballah, Iran, and Syria.
Back in the Middle East, the Israelis discovered and disrupted a series of Israeli-Arab cells working for
Hizballah in return for money and frequently drugs.
The foundations of
Hizballah were laid years before the Iranian revolution, in the ties that bound the Shi'i ulama (religious scholars) of Iran and Lebanon.
Part of OFAC's explanation for the action reaffirmed American insistence of no distinction between Hezbollah's political and military wings, using a quote by Hezbollah's Raad: "
Hizballah itself makes no distinction between its military and political wings, as
Hizballah's own leaders have acknowledged publicly, including Muhammad Hasan Ra'd, who said in 2001, '
Hizballah is a military resistance party ...
Salman is a senior leader of
Hizballah operating in Lebanon.
"With Iranian support, Lebanese
Hizballah has successfully exceeded 2006 Lebanon conflict armament levels.
The financial sanctions that the Trump administration is placing on Iran,
Hizballah and many more of these organizations, is a good start when it comes to countering them."
The U.S., Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates targeted "members of
Hizballah's Shura Council [and] the primary decision-making body of
Hizballah," the statement said.
Ali Youssef Charara He is a member and financier of
Hizballah's who uses his company , Spectrum Investment Group Holdings SAL as a front to finance
Hizballah's activities.
A number of exchange houses are reportedly used to facilitate money laundering and terrorism financing, including by
Hizballah, which the United States has designated as a terrorist organization, though the Government of Lebanon does not recognize this designation.
(9) Although Gaza VNSAs may be a more active threat,
Hizballah, a VNSA operating from Lebanon, is a substantially greater one.