Washington confronts Hezbollah’s shadow finance machine, reinforcing Israel’s security and regional stability resolve.
The US Department of the Treasury has unveiled sweeping sanctions targeting Jood SARL, a Lebanon-based gold exchange accused of converting gold reserves into operational funds for Hezbollah. The move marks a calculated escalation in financial pressure aimed at dismantling the group’s covert funding mechanisms.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasized that Hezbollah’s financial networks undermine Lebanon’s sovereignty and regional peace. The sanctions also extend to procurement and commodities shipping operatives active across Iran and other Middle Eastern jurisdictions.
Gold-to-Cash Pipeline
According to US findings, Jood SARL operated under the oversight of Al-Qard al-Hassan, a Hezbollah-linked financial entity functioning as a parallel banking structure.
Key Allegations Include:
- Establishment of gold-trading front companies in 2025
- Operations concentrated in Beirut, Bek’a Valley, and Nabatiyeh
- Commodity transactions involving gold and fertilizer
- Arms procurement channels linked to suppliers in Russia
Two managing partners of Jood SARL were individually sanctioned, reinforcing Washington’s intent to isolate Hezbollah’s revenue streams from the global financial system.
Despite an existing ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, US officials assert Hezbollah has continued military rebuilding efforts. Israeli defense forces have responded with targeted strikes against infrastructure identified as linked to the group.
Under the truce framework, Hezbollah was expected to disarm south of the border river adjoining Israel. The Lebanese Armed Forces were tasked with securing a state monopoly on arms. However, Hezbollah has publicly rejected disarmament proposals.
The Treasury’s action signals a broader strategy: confronting militant financing structures while reinforcing Israel’s security posture and encouraging sovereign governance in Lebanon.
