U.S. Treasury sanctions four Hamas cyber, UAV leaders

April 12 (UPI) -- The United States is imposing sanctions against four members of Hamas based in Gaza and Lebanon, the Treasury Department announced Friday.

The sanctions are being imposed through the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control are aimed at disrupting the militant group's cyber and unmanned aerial vehicle operations.

Sanctions now apply to Hudhayfa Samir 'Abdallah al-Kahlut, also known as "Abu Ubaida," the spokesman of the military wing of Hamas in Gaza, a position he has held since at least 2007.

Al-Kahlut publicly threatened to execute civilian hostages held by Hamas following the terrorist group's attacks on Israel last October.

The commander of Hamas's Construction Bureau in Lebanon, William Abu Shanab was also sanctioned Friday, along with his assistant Bara'a Hasan Farhat and intelligence officer Khalil Muhammad 'Azzam.

"Today's joint action reinforces our continued, collective focus on disrupting Hamas's ability to conduct further attacks, including through cyber warfare and the production of UAVs," Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson said in the statement issued Friday by the OFAC.

"Treasury, in coordination with our allies and partners, will continue to target Hamas's facilitation networks wherever they operate, including in the cyber domain."

The U.S. sanctions follow similar impositions last fall and earlier this year by Australia and Britaine targeting key Hamas financial facilitators.

Those sanctions designated officials and companies involved in managing Hamas's secret international investment portfolio.

Friday's U.S. sanctions mean all property and property interests of the four designated persons are now blocked and must be reported to the OFAC.

Any assets in which the four men own a 50% interest or more are also subject to the same sanctions.