Germany has banned activity by Lebanon's Hezbollah on its soil and designated it a terrorist organization, the Interior Ministry said on Thursday.
Police conducted early morning raids in Germany to detain suspected members of the group. Security officials believe up to 1,050 people in Germany are part of Hezbollah's military wing.
“Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has banned the Shiite terrorist organization Hezbollah in Germany," tweeted a ministry spokesman.
"Even in times of crisis, the rule of law is capable of acting," he added.
Germany had previously distinguished between Hezbollah's political arm and its military units.
Last December, Germany's parliament approved a motion urging Chancellor Angela Merkel's government to ban all activities by Hezbollah on German soil, citing its "terrorist activities" especially in Syria.
On a trip to Berlin last year, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he hoped Germany would follow Britain in banning Hezbollah. Britain introduced legislation in February of last year that classified the group as a terrorist organization.
Israel on Thursday applauded Germany's decision as "a significant step in the global fight against terrorism."
"It is a very important decision," Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said in a statement, urging the European Union "to do the same."
