The United States is preparing a new round of sanctions against Lebanese figures, potentially extending its targeting beyond Hezbollah’s political and financial networks to officials holding sensitive positions in the judiciary, security agencies and military, according to a Lebanese political source.

The officials under review are suspected by Washington of providing protection for Hezbollah, facilitating its activities and obstructing government decisions aimed at placing all weapons under state control. A new sanctions package could be announced after the U.S. midterm elections, although no official timetable has been set.

A well-informed Lebanese political source told Erem News that the U.S. administration had compiled an expanded and updated list of political, judicial and security figures whose records are being examined ahead of possible sanctions designations.

The names have not been finalized, the source said, but the list reportedly includes judges in key positions, officers serving in security and military institutions, and politicians close to Hezbollah. It could also include figures outside the group’s traditional Shiite constituency and political alliances, suggesting that Washington’s scrutiny may extend beyond its usual targets.

The effort is aimed at networks of influence that U.S. officials believe help shield Hezbollah’s activities within Lebanese state institutions.

Border officials and security personnel under scrutiny

The American review is focusing on officials suspected of using their positions to undermine decisions aimed at bringing weapons under state control or to provide administrative, security and judicial cover for Hezbollah, the source said.

Among those under scrutiny are officers responsible for monitoring Lebanon’s land and maritime borders. They face allegations of facilitating the passage of weapons shipments, turning a blind eye to smuggling networks or failing to refer suspected perpetrators to the judiciary.

Other security officials are suspected of passing sensitive information to Hezbollah, allowing the group to move more freely and avoid security measures targeting its activities, according to the source.

The allegations are not limited to direct cooperation with the group. They also concern officials whom Washington believes have helped preserve Hezbollah’s military and security influence by failing to carry out government decisions or using their authority to obstruct their implementation.

The source said Lebanese diplomatic circles expected any announcement to come after the U.S. midterm elections, though no formal date had been communicated.

Judicial officials could become targets

The judiciary is emerging as a particularly significant area of concern in the potential sanctions campaign, with several judges reportedly under review over allegations that they deliberately delayed investigations into financial and security networks or brought sensitive cases involving Hezbollah to a halt.

Washington is examining what it considers the misuse of judicial authority, including the obstruction of prosecutions and delays in resolving cases involving weapons and suspicious shipments, the source said.

Some files are being reviewed to determine the nature of judicial decisions and the reasons behind delays in legal proceedings.

The investigation into an explosives shipment seized in Dahr al-Baydar has become a sensitive test of relations between Beirut and Washington. The case has evolved from a security operation into a broader question of the Lebanese state's ability to investigate and prosecute unauthorized military activities.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio raised the matter directly with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun during a phone call on Oct. 15. Rubio called for accountability for those who ordered the explosives to be transported, financed the shipment and directed its movement. He also stressed that the seized explosives should not be returned to Hezbollah.

The case reached an important judicial stage on Oct. 30, when 13 people, including two detainees, were charged in connection with the transportation of the explosives. The charges include possession of explosive materials and acts threatening state security and authority.

The judicial proceedings, however, do not mean that judges involved in the case are themselves facing U.S. sanctions. Washington has made no announcement identifying specific judicial figures as targets in connection with the explosives investigation.

US sanctions reach beyond Hezbollah's financial networks

The potential new measures would build on a previous expansion of U.S. sanctions targeting Lebanese officials.

On May 21, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on several Lebanese figures, including serving security and military officials, accusing them of providing support and intelligence to Hezbollah and helping strengthen its influence within state institutions.

Those measures marked a significant departure from the previous focus of U.S. sanctions, which had largely centered on Hezbollah leaders and the group's financial and business networks.

The shift reflects Washington's broader approach to the issue of weapons control in Lebanon. Rather than focusing exclusively on Hezbollah's military capabilities and sources of funding, the United States is increasingly examining the role of state officials responsible for implementing government decisions.

The political source said Washington had not publicly called for the removal of specific Lebanese officials. However, diplomatic communications with Beirut have conveyed a clear warning that individuals involved in obstructing government measures could face personal consequences.

Potential sanctions pose challenge for Lebanese institutions

A new round of designations targeting serving officials could have repercussions beyond their immediate financial impact, particularly if senior figures in the judiciary and security agencies are included.

Such measures could raise questions about the ability of sanctioned officials to remain in their positions and continue dealing with financial institutions and international bodies. They could also affect cooperation between Lebanon and foreign partners on security and judicial matters.

At the same time, U.S. sanctions are administrative measures imposed under American law. They do not constitute Lebanese judicial rulings or, in themselves, establish the truth of the allegations against those targeted.

The source said Washington was increasingly seeking to use sanctions against what it views as the institutional networks protecting Hezbollah. The next phase, therefore, could test whether the Lebanese state can enforce its own decisions despite political and security pressures that have repeatedly hindered their implementation.

Analyst warns of broader sanctions campaign

Lebanese political writer and analyst Ali Hamadeh said U.S. sanctions targeting Lebanon were entering a more restrictive phase, as Washington increasingly tied its support for the Lebanese state to the fulfillment of its political, security and financial commitments.

Those commitments include bringing weapons under state control and cutting off Hezbollah's sources of funding, he said.

Hamadeh warned that further rounds of sanctions could follow, potentially targeting politicians, businesspeople, companies and institutions, as well as figures linked to the Lebanese state administration.

He said the American campaign was no longer confined to pursuing financial networks but was also intended to counter Iranian influence within Lebanese state institutions.

Washington is waiting for Lebanese authorities to take concrete steps rather than rely on pledges and political statements, particularly in the security, financial and banking sectors, Hamadeh said.

Continued delays in fulfilling those commitments would keep American pressure in place and could lead to sanctions being extended to additional individuals and entities, he added.