Saudi Arabia adds two Hezbollah leaders on terrorist list

Saudi Arabia has added two Hezbollah leaders, Khalil Harb and Muhammad Qabalan, in its terrorist list, Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

They both were accused of supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government by assisting and sending fighters, making payments to various factions within Yemen and serving as military leaders responsible for terrorist operations in the Middle East.

Harb served as commander of Hezbollah's central military operations and supervised Hezbollah military operations throughout the Middle East.

Saudi Arabia, which had led a coalition since March against Houthis in Yemen, blamed him of being involved since 2012 in the movement of large amounts of money to Yemen.

Saudi Arabia also accused Qabalan, who served as head of a Hezbollah infantry platoon, of spreading instability, conducting terrorist attacks and engaging in criminal and illicit activities around the world.

He was sentenced by an Egyptian court in absentia to life imprisonment for his involvement in targeting tourist destinations in Egypt.

Saudi Arabia vowed in a statement to continue to combat Hezbollah's terrorist activities with all available tools, saying it will continue to work with partners around the world to make it clear that Hezbollah's militant and extremist activities should not be tolerated by any nation.

Any assets of these two individuals under Saudi jurisdiction are frozen, and Saudi citizens are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with them, the statement said. Endit