Washington - The United States has imposed new sanctions on Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS) and its secretary-general, Hashim Finyan Rahim al-Saraji, designating them as Specially Designated Global Terrorists. According to a statement by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, KSS's terrorist activities have posed a threat to the lives of both US and Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS personnel in Iraq and Syria.

Additionally, six individuals affiliated with the Iran-aligned militia group Kata'ib Hizballah (KH) have been sanctioned by the US Treasury Department. Blinken highlighted Iran's support for KSS, KH, and other Iran-aligned militia groups, citing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Qods Force's involvement in providing training, funding, and sophisticated weapons, including unmanned aerial systems.

Blinken emphasized that Iran is the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism, and the United States is committed to using all available tools to counter Iran's support for terrorism and disrupt the ability of Iran-backed groups to carry out terrorist attacks.

Regarding the Re'im music festival massacre, the death toll has been revised to 364, constituting nearly one-third of all those killed during the onslaught in Israel. The investigation revealed that 40 festival attendees were taken hostage in Gaza. In another development, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu indicated that the IDF does not plan to keep soldiers inside Gaza after the war, even though Israel will maintain security control over the Strip. Netanyahu expressed the need for a cultural change in any civilian administration in Gaza, emphasizing a rejection of funding terrorism.