The Trump Administration’s chief counterterrorism official, Ambassador Nathan Sales, reviewed the leading threats in the region and discussed the current American administration’s efforts to counter them. Emphasis was on Iran’s malign influence in the region, including through proxies such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and other terror organizations. Ambassador Sales also announced a series of new terror designations.

This is my fifth visit to Israel and it’s always a pleasure to be back. I’ve been leading a round of the US-Israel Counterterrorism Dialogue and let me say what a treat it was to meet in Israel’s capital.

Counterterrorism is one of the highest priorities for President Trump and for Secretary of State Tillerson. In a time of tumult across the region, Israel is a beacon of stability. Israel stands out as a pluralistic and open society, all while maintaining loyalty to its Jewish identity. We have many shared values, such as a commitment to individual rights and the right to dissent. Beyond our common values, our two countries share common adversaries. Israel faces an emboldened Iran and its partner, Hezbollah; Hamas; and ISIS in the Sanai. Tonight, I’d like to outline how the Trump Administration views these threats and what we’re doing to mitigate them.

While ISIS has dominated the headlines, Iran has extended its malign influence around the world, whether in Syria or Yemen or Iraq. Beyond its military interventions, Iran remains the leading state sponsor of terrorism. Iran gives Hezbollah about $700 million per year, and up to $100 million annually to Palestinian terrorist groups. Hezbollah likes to tout its role in providing social services in Lebanon, but we know Hezbollah for what it is: a terror organization which continues to expand its arsenal in Lebanon, with more than 100,000 missiles in Israel – a significant change from where things stood in 2006. Despite the enormous costs of its intervention in Syria, Hezbollah remains committed to global terrorism.

Hamas, meanwhile, remains committed to Israel’s destruction, working to improve its missile and rocket capabilities. New weapons Hamas is developing and purchasing could have a devastating impact on Israel should the group decide to use them. Much like the Iranian regime, Hamas values terrorism more than the people it purports to represent. But Hamas is not alone in Gaza; other groups, such as Palestinian Islamic Jihad, are operating in Gaza as Iran’s proxies.

Countering Iran and its proxies is a top priority for the US administration. Our approach marks a dramatic break from the past. We are addressing the totality of Iran’s threat. In October we designated the IRGC as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).  In addition to its terrorism and military adventurism, the IRGC has deeply penetrated the Iranian economy, so any business in Iran linked to the IRGC is now at risk. Here today I am announcing that we are designating Harakat al-Sabarin in Gaza, another Iranian proxy, as a SDGT.

Let me turn to Egypt. ISIS Sinai is a lethal force. We are committed to helping our allies in Cairo counter this threat. Today we are designating two more groups – Liwa al-Thawra and Hazm – as SDGT. Both are offshoots of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Finally, we will continue to counter Hamas. In that regard, we are also designating Ismail Haniyeh as an SGDT.