The US House of Representatives voted unanimously Wednesday to impose tough new sanctions on banks that knowingly do business with Hezbollah.
The bill targeting Hezbollah passed the Senate last month. It now goes to the White House for President Barack Obama’s signature.
The legislation also targets Hezbollah’s television channel Al-Manar by aiming to cut the broadcast of satellite operators that air the channel’s programming.
The House adopted the measure 422 to 0, following a unanimous vote in the Senate on November 17.
Obama will sign the legislation, a senior administration said, adding that the administration has worked with Congress for years “to intensify the pressure against the Hezbollah terrorist organization.”
The new rules direct the president to prescribe punishing regulations against financial institutions that conduct transactions with Hezbollah or otherwise launder funds for the organization.
The Hezbollah militia, which is considered a terrorist organization, is one of Assad’s staunchest allies and has been a partner to Assad’s atrocities against the Syrian people since the revolution broke out in March 2011. (Source: Anadolu)
