Lebanese expatriates in the Gulf are facing mounting anxiety as Gulf states, particularly Kuwait, have tightened financial and security measures targeting Hezbollah and its affiliated financial institution, Al-Qard Al-Hassan. Though aimed at curbing funding for the Iran-backed group, the clampdown has spilled over to affect thousands of law-abiding Lebanese workers, many of whom are now under close surveillance despite having no ties to political or militant activity.

According to informed Kuwaiti sources who spoke to Nidaa Al-Watan newspaper, the measures are part of a coordinated regional and international campaign aimed at cutting off financial flows to groups labeled as terrorist organizations, chief among them Hezbollah. Kuwait and other Gulf nations see the campaign as vital to safeguarding domestic security and regional stability.

“The authorities are working to differentiate between Lebanese residents who comply with local laws and those entities or individuals who use the diaspora for security or political ends,” the sources said.

They emphasized that the crackdown specifically targets individuals and organizations directly implicated in illicit activity, and that authorities remain committed to safeguarding the rights and dignity of law-abiding Lebanese residents.

Kuwaiti authorities recently uncovered illicit money transfer operations involving individuals linked to Hezbollah, prompting new sanctions and prohibitions on financial dealings with the party and its affiliated organizations. Al-Qard Al-Hassan, a Hezbollah-run lending institution already under U.S. sanctions, is at the center of these efforts.

Lebanese expatriates across the Gulf report feeling unfairly caught in the middle.

Reem, a Lebanese teacher in Kuwait, said she now feels as though she’s “under constant watch” simply because of her nationality.

“It’s incredibly disheartening to be made to feel guilty by association. We have nothing to do with this,” she said.

Samy, an insurance worker from Beirut who now lives in the Gulf, expressed fears that his routine transfers to family back home could trigger false suspicions.

“I just want to help my parents survive. But now even that feels risky,” he said.

Ali, a long-time resident in Kuwait, said he feels punished for political positions he never chose.

“I’ve been here more than two decades, paying my taxes, following every rule, and now I’m treated like a suspect,” he said.

In Bahrain, Ibrahim said fear has become part of everyday life.

“We feel like we’re living under a magnifying glass,” he told the paper.

Rita, a Lebanese national living in Saudi Arabia, said transferring money back home has become “a gamble.”

“We’re paying the price for decisions made far beyond our reach,” she added.

The rising fears have been compounded by Lebanon’s recent inclusion on the European Union’s financial blacklist; a designation that further complicates financial transactions and raises questions about the country’s regulatory environment.

Gulf sources say there is no intent to collectively penalize the Lebanese community, but the reality on the ground has many expatriates worried about their long-term future in the region.