By Samah Abdul-Fattah | 2026-09-05

The United States recently revised its classification of Lebanon's Hizbullah, designating it as a proxy for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

This official announcement came on August 20 from the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

Officials cited the group's ongoing provision of strategic services to the Iranian regime while under IRGC command.

The action followed established US counter-terrorism terms of reference, specifically referencing Executive Order 13224 as the legal basis.

A State Department official declared that this reclassification confirms Hizbullah acts as an Iranian proxy, not an independent entity.

This decisive policy shift strips away the facade that the group promoted to mask its foreign agendas.

Proxy status reveals wider agenda

"The new designation of Hizbullah as a key proxy for the IRGC and its regional schemes came at exactly the right time," retired Lebanese Army Colonel Jamil Abu Hamdan told Al-Fassel.

"Hizbullah claimed to be a Lebanese resistance movement, using that tactic to deflect suspicion and embed itself within domestic political life," he said.

"Now, the truth is apparent, and this serves as the first step toward ending its dominance over internal decisions," Abu Hamdan noted.

Analysts view that the US designation aligns with the wars into which Hizbullah has dragged the Lebanese people.

It confirms the group lacks independence, exposing its role as a strategic IRGC proxy utilized to wage war and destabilize the broader Middle East.

Hizbullah has served as a fulcrum for the IRGC’s Quds Force, organizing other proxies to execute Tehran's agenda.

"Dismantling the strongest link will lead to the collapse of the rest of the chain, and ultimately the core leadership in Tehran," said Abu Hamdan.

This designation weakens Iran's capacity to expand its external influence while using proxies to avoid accountability.

Lebanese government challenge party control

The new designation clarifies the distinction between Lebanese interests and the objectives of Hizbullah and its Iranian backers.

Often, the party adopts conflicts dictated by external priorities that do not serve the nation's specific national interests.

Despite the challenges regarding Hizbullah's unilateral control, the current Lebanese government has managed to undermine its position.

It is taking serious steps to restrict arms solely to national security forces and reclaim control over foreign relations.

Analysts suggest the coming phase will strip Hizbullah of the pretexts it uses for domestic political dominance.

Slogans regarding the "liberation of territory" will no longer resonate as public discontent begins to emerge within the constituency.