US issues new sanctions targeting Iran’s proxies

The United States on Thursday announced sanctions targeting Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah, Hezbollah, and financial networks that it accused of supporting Tehran’s regional activities. "Today, the United States is taking action under Operation Economic Outcast targeting Kata'ib Hizballah (KH), Hizballah, and the broader financial networks that sustain Iran's campaign of regional destabilization," the State Department said in a statement. It said Kataib Hezbollah "has intensified its threat to U.S. interests," citing a “recent plot to attack Jewish institutions” in the US and continued attacks on US and coalition forces in Iraq. “The United States remains committed to supporting a sovereign, stable Iraq free from malign external influence, and to protecting Lebanon's institutions from Hizballah's corrosive financial and political interference,” the statement added.