The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced Thursday sanctions on seven senior officials and one entity associated with the Hezbollah-controlled financial institution Al-Qard Al-Hassan.

The U.S. Treasury said the seven officials have served in senior management roles for Al-Qard Al-Hassan and have facilitated the evasion of U.S. sanctions, enabling Hezbollah’s access to the formal financial system. "Today’s action underscores Treasury’s commitment to disrupting Hezbollah’s sanctions evasion schemes and supporting efforts by the new Lebanese government to limit the terrorist group’s influence, particularly as entities like AQAH continue to undermine the already fragile Lebanese economy," the U.S. Department of the Treasury said.

Sources from the presidential panel drafting Lebanon’s response to the U.S. paper have said that “the atmosphere of the discussions is very positive,” in remarks to al-Joumhouria newspaper.

Influential diplomatic sources in Beirut have voiced concern that an Israeli strike might target Hezbollah’s military infrastructure north of the Litani River in the coming weeks, with a special emphasis on on the Baalbek and Hermel regions, the Nidaa al-Watan newspaper reported on Thursday.

Around 10,000 Hezbollah fighters have become completely unfit for combat since the eruption of the Gaza war, sources told Al-Arabiya’s Al-Hadath channel.

Ahead of a visit next week by U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, Lebanon is preparing a response to a U.S. paper concerning Hezbollah disarmament and Israel's withdrawal and halt of hostilities.

Pro-Hezbollah al-Akhbar newspaper said Thursday that Hezbollah will not hand over its arms after several media reports claimed that the group is open to discuss its disarmament but wants guarantees that Israel will withdraw.

During his latest visit to Beirut, U.S. envoy Tom Barrack expressed Washington’s concern that “Lebanon might again drown in the same previous policies” in the conduct of both its government and parliament, al-Akhbar newspaper quoted an informed source as saying.

Hezbollah will on Thursday inform Speaker Nabih Berri of its final response to the Lebanese amendments related to U.S. envoy Tom Barrack’s paper, Al-Jadeed TV reported.

“The joint presidential committee will convene again today after receiving the official answer, in order to discuss it and finalize the official Lebanese response,” Al-Jadeed added.

Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem has said that Hezbollah's disarmament is a domestic issue and that Israel "has no business interfering in domestic affairs."

"We will not accept to hand over our land and our arms to the Israeli enemy," Qassem said Wednesday, adding that Hezbollah has the right to resist Israel and will not give up on this right or be affected by pressures.

Israel's overture this week to Syria and Lebanon for a peace deal has sparked mixed reactions in both countries, where the idea of normalizing ties has long been considered taboo.

On Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said his country had an "interest in adding countries, Syria and Lebanon, our neighbors, to the circle of peace and normalization while safeguarding Israel's essential and security interests".

Hezbollah is waiting to receive a copy of the Lebanese paper that is being prepared by President Joseph Aoun, Speaker Nabih Berri and PM Nawaf Salam in response to the paper submitted by U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, informed political sources said.