Lebanon’s Central Bank chief: 100 Hizballah-linked accounts to be closed

Following US pressure and threats of harsh economic sanctions against the government in Beirut, Lebanese Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh ordered banks in his country to close the accounts of members of the Hizballah organization or its trading partners. In an interview with US broadcaster CNBC on Thursday, Salameh said "Our priority is to keep Lebanon on the international financial map." Hizballah harshly criticized the governor's steps and called them "surrender to the US" and a "violation of Lebanese sovereignty".