US Targets Hezbollah-Linked Figures

The United States imposed sanctions on nine individuals linked to Hezbollah on Thursday,May 21,2026 accusing them of obstructing the peace process in Lebanon as Israeli airstrikes continued in the country’s south despite an active ceasefire. US officials said Hezbollah must be fully disarmed and accused the group’s network of enabling violence while undermining efforts toward lasting stability. The sanctions add to Washington’s pressure campaign against Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group with both political and military influence in Lebanon.

Sanctions Include Lawmakers And Officials

Those sanctioned include Hezbollah lawmakers Hassan Fadlallah, Ibrahim al-Moussawi and Hussein al-Hajj Hassan, along with executive council chief Mohamed Abdel-Mottaleb Fanich. The United States also sanctioned Mohammad Reza Sheibani, who was declared persona non grata and expelled from Lebanon in March. Additional measures targeted Ahmad Asaad Baalbaki and Ali Ahmad Safawi from Hezbollah ally Amal, as well as Lebanese military officers Brigadier-General Khattar Nasser Eldin and Colonel Samir Hamadi.

Washington Pushes Disarmament Demand

The action comes as Washington and Israel continue calling for Hezbollah’s complete disarmament. Hezbollah has strongly opposed recent direct peace negotiations between Lebanese and Israeli officials, while maintaining a significant support base and parliamentary presence inside Lebanon. In a separate announcement, the US State Department offered a reward of up to $10 million for information that could help disrupt Hezbollah’s financial mechanisms.

Southern Lebanon Remains Under Pressure

Meanwhile, Lebanon reported that an Israeli strike damaged a hospital in the south, where clashes between Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters have continued despite a ceasefire announced on April 17. Since the wider conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran began, Israeli troops have entered and occupied parts of southern Lebanon, operating in areas extending nearly 10 kilometres north of the border. The latest sanctions and continued military activity highlight the fragile state of the ceasefire and the growing pressure on Lebanon’s political and security landscape.