The US Treasury Department is going after Iranian-backed militias in Iraq. These groups are already designated as terrorist groups by the US. Now the US is conducting what it calls “Economic Fury” against the groups. This is apparently the economic side of the operation against Iran that began on February 28 with Israel.
The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control says it has “designated seven Iran-backed Iraqi militia commanders for planning, directing, and executing attacks against US personnel, facilities, and interests in Iraq. These militias attack US personnel and innocent civilians across Iraq, siphoning Iraq’s wealth to finance their terrorist activities, and undermining Iraq’s sovereignty and democratic processes.”
The Treasury Department notes that OFAC has targeted individuals and leaders “of some of Iraq’s most violent Iran-aligned militia organizations, including Kata’ib Hizballah, Kata’ib Sayyid Al-Shuhada, Harakat Al-Nujaba, and Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haqq.
These militias operate with near impunity, attacking US personnel and innocent civilians across Iraq, siphoning Iraq’s wealth to finance their terrorist activities, and undermining Iraq’s sovereignty and democratic processes.”
Kataib Hezbollah kidnapped American journalist Shelly Kittelson in Iraq. She was held for a week and released on April 7. Kataib Hezbollah also kidnapped Israeli researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov in March 2023, only releasing her in September 2025. In addition, the group killed three Americans in Jordan in January 2024.
It was led by Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was wanted for embassy bombings in Kuwait in the 1980s. He was killed by a US drone strike along with IRGC Quds Force head Qasem Soleimani in 2020.
“We will not allow Iraq’s terrorist militias, backed by Iran, to threaten American lives or interests,” said US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. “Those who enable these militias’ violence will be held accountable.”
Groups designated as terrorist organizations
Kata’ib Hizballah, Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haqq, Harakat Al-Nujaba, and Kata’ib Sayyid Al-Shuhada were designated as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) and Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs).
The Treasury report says that “Ammar Jasim Kadhim Al Rammahi (Rammahi) is a Kataib Hezbollah operational commander. In this role, he directs KH attack planning efforts and generates targeting information for attacks against US personnel and facilities. He also coordinates the timing and location of these KH operations.
Similarly, both Radhwan Yousif Hameed Almohammed (Almohammed) and Hasan Dheyab Hamzah Hamzah (Hamzah) are senior KH officials involved in operations. Almohammed has been a key KH official for several years and coordinated KH operations. Hamzah also coordinates KH operations, including threats to US forces.”
The report also mentioned AAH. It says “Safaa Adnan Jabbar Suwaed is a senior AAH official and military commander, as well as a chief of operations in Salah ad-Din Province, Iraq.”
In addition, for KSS, the Treasury targeted “Khalid Jameel Abed Albakhatra (Albakhatra) and Saeed Kadhim Mukhamis (Mukhamis) are senior KSS officials, with Albakhatra specifically serving as a KSS commander.” Additionally, Husham Hashim Jaythoom (Jaythoom) is named as a military trainer for Harakat al-Nujaba (HAN).
The report named some other individuals.
Several days ago, the US State Department’s Rewards for Justice program announced a $10 million reward for information on Ahmad al-Hamidawi, the leader of the militia Kataib Hezbollah. Hamidawi has been a designated terrorist since 2020, when he took over from Muhandis.
Hamidawi was reported to have made a public appearance days after the reward was issued. He went to a parade in Karbala, a Shi’ite holy site in Iraq. He was wearing a black mask and a headdress, similar to what a sheik might wear.
The militias and Iran continue to carry out attacks in Iraq. On April 17, the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran, a Kurdish Iranian opposition group, was targeted near Erbil. It says three of its Peshmerga members were killed. According to reports, the victims were named as Neda Miri, Samira Elahi-Yari, and Shahin Azarbarzin.