Saudi Arabia Welcomes Potential US Sanctions Against Hezbollah

Saudi Arabia welcomed the potential sanctions that the US government is said to be imposing against Hezbollah in the coming days, with a Saudi minister referring to Hezbollah as the 'Party of Satan.' US media reports indicate that the Trump administration plans to not only impose new sanctions against Hezbollah but also announce substantial cash rewards for the capture of several leaders of the organization. According to Arab media, Thamer al-Sabhan, the Saudi minister coordinating affairs with the Gulf emirates, expressed his support for these sanctions on Twitter, calling them 'good but insufficient.' Al-Sabhan wrote, 'It is good to form an international coalition to confront the Party of Satan and Iran, which would lead to security and stability.' This Saudi minister had previously referred to Hezbollah as 'the illegitimate child of Iran' and stated, 'Just as the world united against ISIS, a similar coalition must be formed to confront Hezbollah.' According to Al-Arabiya, Thamer al-Sabhan has previously expressed that 'terrorism and radicalism in the world began after the Islamic Republic came to power in Iran and the formation of Hezbollah in Lebanon.' In the view of this Saudi minister, 'the Party of Satan commits crimes against the Arab nation; it harms Lebanon, and the people of Lebanon must choose whether to stand with Hezbollah or against it, as the blood of the sons of the Arab nation is very precious.' With Saudi influence, the Gulf Cooperation Council designated Hezbollah as a terrorist organization in March 2016. The House Foreign Affairs Committee in the US recently approved a draft bill to intensify sanctions against Hezbollah, but other similar proposals are awaiting final approval and announcement from the Trump administration. On the other hand, Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, on Sunday referred to Thamer al-Sabhan as 'the Saudi mosquito,' implying that he is so small he cannot be seen. According to Lebanese media, Nasrallah's remarks were broadcast on closed-circuit television during a memorial ceremony for two Hezbollah commanders killed in Syria. The Hezbollah leader stated that al-Sabhan and 'his gentlemen' recognize Hezbollah's regional power, and the words of this 'tiny one' are an implicit acknowledgment that only a 'decisive international coalition' can confront Hezbollah, as Hezbollah has grown so large that a regional coalition can no longer handle it. However, to form an international coalition against them, they believe regional security must first be established, but Saudi Arabia, the US, and Israel are dragging the region into destruction. Hassan Nasrallah stated that the new US policy to confront Hezbollah is because Hezbollah has 'proudly been a partner in victories and in defeating conspiracies.' He added that the new American law will not change Hezbollah's position in confronting US hegemony in the region. The Hezbollah leader also mentioned that he is 'waiting for Donald Trump's statements in the coming days regarding Iran,' as this issue 'affects the entire region.' In this context, the new sanctions bill against Hezbollah in the US House of Representatives, the US and Saudi Arabia sanctioned five individuals and entities supporting Hezbollah, two senior members of Hezbollah and five Russians were placed on the US 'anti-terrorism' list, and two individuals were arrested in the US on charges of 'supporting and gathering information for Hezbollah.'