Post-Election Lists: US Sanctions Could Target Judges, Officers and Hezbollah Allies
The United States is preparing to expand sanctions against Lebanese figures, this time targeting officials in sensitive judicial, security and military positions. Washington accuses them of protecting Hezbollah, facilitating its activities and obstructing state decisions to bring weapons under exclusive state control. A new round of sanctions could be announced after the US midterm elections.
An informed Lebanese political source said that the US administration had prepared a lengthy, updated list of officials and political, judicial and security figures. Their files are being examined ahead of the possible gradual designation of some individuals under sanctions. The initiative targets influence networks Washington considers responsible for shielding Hezbollah’s activities within state institutions.
The source said the lists had not been finalised but included judges in key positions, security and military officers, and political officials close to Hezbollah. Sanctions could also extend to figures outside the Shiite community and the movement’s traditional alliances.
Open Lists and Sensitive Positions
According to the source, US reviews focus on officials suspected of using their positions to obstruct decisions establishing exclusive state control over weapons, or to provide administrative, security and judicial protection for Hezbollah’s activities.
Files under consideration include officers responsible for monitoring land and maritime borders, amid allegations that they facilitated arms shipments, overlooked smuggling networks or failed to refer those involved for prosecution.
The reviews also concern security officials suspected of providing sensitive information that helped Hezbollah move more easily and evade security measures targeting its activities.
The source stressed that the allegations extend beyond direct cooperation with the movement. They also concern officials whose refusal to implement government decisions, or use of their authority to obstruct them, Washington believes has helped sustain Hezbollah’s military and security influence.
Lebanese diplomatic circles expect any announcement to come after the US midterm elections, although no official date has been disclosed.
The Judiciary Comes Under Scrutiny
The judicial component represents one of the most significant potential developments in the new sanctions. Judges’ names are being discussed in connection with allegations of deliberately delaying proceedings against financial and security networks or closing sensitive cases linked to Hezbollah.
The source said Washington was examining what it regarded as misuse of judicial office, including obstructing prosecutions or failing to resolve cases involving weapons and suspicious shipments. Some reviews address the nature of decisions taken and the reasons for procedural delays.
The Dahr al-Baidar explosives case has emerged as a sensitive test of relations between Lebanese authorities and Washington. What began as a security seizure has become an issue concerning the state’s ability to prosecute unauthorised military activities.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio raised the case directly during a telephone call with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on October 15. He called for accountability for those who ordered the explosives’ transport, financed the shipment and directed its movement, while stressing that the explosives must not be returned to Hezbollah.
The case saw a significant judicial development on October 30, when charges were brought against 13 people, including two detainees, over the transport of explosives. The charges include possession of explosive materials and acts undermining state security and authority. These proceedings do not, however, mean that judges handling the case are sanctions targets: no US announcement has linked specific judicial figures to the matter.
From Financial Networks to State Institutions
The initiative builds on earlier action. On May 21, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Lebanese figures, including serving security and military officials, accusing them of providing support and intelligence to Hezbollah and helping entrench its influence within state institutions.
Those measures set a precedent by targeting officials holding public office, whereas sanctions had previously focused primarily on Hezbollah’s leadership and financial and economic networks.
This trajectory suggests Washington increasingly views exclusive state control over weapons as connected to the conduct of officials responsible for implementing government decisions, rather than solely to Hezbollah’s military capabilities and funding sources.
According to the political source, US messages to Beirut do not include public demands to dismiss specific officials. Diplomatic contacts nevertheless convey that continued obstruction of government measures could carry personal consequences for those involved.
A New Test for the State
Potential sanctions would confront Lebanese authorities with challenges extending beyond their immediate financial effects, particularly if they cover senior judicial and security officials.
Designating serving officials could raise questions about their continued tenure and ability to engage with financial institutions and international bodies. It could also affect security and judicial cooperation.
US sanctions nevertheless remain measures issued under US law. They do not, by themselves, constitute Lebanese judicial rulings or definitive proof that the allegations have been established.
The source concluded that Washington was moving towards using sanctions to target what it considers Hezbollah’s key sources of institutional protection. The coming period would therefore test the Lebanese state’s ability to implement its decisions despite political and security pressures obstructing enforcement.
A Tougher Phase
Lebanese writer and political analyst Ali Hamade believes US sanctions concerning Lebanon are entering a tougher phase, as Washington insists on linking support for the Lebanese state to fulfilment of its political, security and financial commitments. These include establishing exclusive state control over weapons and cutting off Hezbollah’s funding sources.
Hamade warned of successive sanctions rounds that could encompass politicians, businesspeople, companies and institutions, potentially including figures connected to Lebanon’s public administration. He said the US initiative extended beyond pursuing financing networks to confronting Iranian influence within state institutions.
He concluded that Washington expects practical action beyond pledges and political statements, particularly on security, financial and banking matters. Continued delays in implementing commitments would sustain US pressure, with the possibility of further entities and individuals facing sanctions.
