OFAC targets entities and individuals that support Kata’ib Hizballah (KH) and Hizballah Networks Under Operation Economic Outcast

OFAC imposed blocking sanctions on 14 individuals (9 in Iraq, 4 in Lebanon, 1 in Syria/Turkey) and 5 entities (2 in Iraq, 2 in Lebanon, 1 in UAE) under its counter-terrorism and Iran sanctions programs for enabling Kata'ib Hizballah's and Lebanese Hizballah's Iran-backed operations and Iranian sanctions evasion. The Iraq-nexus designees include four Kata'ib Hizballah commanders/members, PMC-linked facilitators tied to previously-designated al-Maksusi, and the Al-Mandalawi brothers with their Dubai hawala Shams & Bahr Trading Company which was used to move funds from Iraq to Iran via the UAE. The Lebanon-nexus designees form a cash and gold smuggling channel moving IRGC-QF funds through Lebanese and Syrian/Turkish exchange houses to Hizballah.