BEIRUT (AP) — Hezbollah will pay up to $14,000 in aid to families whose homes in Lebanon were destroyed or made uninhabitable during the war with Israel, the head of the group’s Executive Council said Tuesday.
At a news conference, Ali Daamoush accused the Lebanese state of failing to carry out its duties to help the displaced.
He said families who lost their homes in Beirut and its southern suburbs would receive $14,000 each, while those elsewhere in Lebanon would get $12,000. Each payment includes $8,000 for furniture, with the rest intended to cover rent.
Daamoush did not say how many families would benefit or how much the payments would total. The money most likely came from Iran, which has supplied Hezbollah with billions of dollars and weapons over decades.
The initiative appears aimed at bolstering support among the Iran-backed militant group and political party’s base and signaling defiance to the Lebanese government and the United States, which has sought to cut off Hezbollah’s funding.
The press conference was group's first on such payments since its latest two wars with Israel, which killed more than 8,000 people and destroyed tens of thousands of homes in Lebanon.
In recent years, the United States has increased its sanctions on individuals and institutions that Washington says Hezbollah uses to funnel money into Lebanon. Flights from Iran to Lebanon have been banned for nearly two years as part of efforts to pressure the Iran-backed group.
The latest war began when Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel in early March, two days after the U.S. and Israel launched a war on Iran. Israel launched a ground invasion, capturing dozens of Lebanese villages and towns along the border, before a U.S.-brokered ceasefire ended the conflict in late June.
About 1.2 million people were displaced in Lebanon at the height of the war. Most have returned home since the ceasefire, but more than 300,000 remain displaced, according to the International Organization for Migration.
A framework agreement signed by Lebanon, Israel and the United States in Washington on June 26 commits Lebanon and the U.S. to preventing reconstruction funds from reaching entities or individuals affiliated with non-state armed groups and taking available legal measures to prohibit their activities.
Under the agreement, Israeli forces were to gradually withdraw from southern Lebanon and hand over control to the Lebanese army, while Hezbollah was to be disarmed, but implementation has stalled.
Hezbollah has rejected the agreements reached earlier this year after rare direct talks in Washington and Rome between Lebanon and Israel, which officially still remain in a state of war.
U.S. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott told Lebanon’s This is Beirut news outlet last week that the money that Hezbollah is promising does not exist. If the money was in Iran, he added, “it wouldn’t be able to be delivered to Hezbollah because of our efforts to cut off the Iranian regime from their terrorist proxies.”
Asked about those remarks, Daamoush said: “We are not concerned about what the American administration says.” He added: “We are working to serve our people and will do all we can to give them shelter so that they go back to their normal life.”
Hezbollah will set up centers so that people can visit to review their cases and receive compensation, he said.
A journalist records video of Ali Daamoush, head of Hezbollah's Executive Council, during a news conference in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
Ali Daamoush, head of Hezbollah's Executive Council, speaks during a news conference in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
Ali Daamoush, head of Hezbollah's Executive Council, speaks during a news conference in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
KENNESAW, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct 13, 2026--
Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit today announced DockPoint ® Pontoon, a new integrated control system that combines Yamaha Helm Master ® EX joystick outboard control with Jet Thruster technology to deliver full maneuverability for single-outboard pontoon boats. The integration allows captains to use one joystick to move forward or reverse, move laterally, rotate in place and make precise adjustments during docking and other low-speed maneuvers.
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“Integrating Helm Master EX joystick outboard control with proven Jet Thruster technology gives single-outboard pontoon owners a new level of control at the dock and in other close-quarter situations,” said Cortlandt Minnich, Product Manager, Outboard Control Systems, Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit. “DockPoint Pontoon brings the outboard and thruster together through one intuitive control, allowing captains to move laterally, rotate in place and make precise adjustments with the joystick. It’s designed to make maneuvering a pontoon easier and give boaters greater control when they need it most.”
Yamaha collaborated with Holland Marine Parts, maker of Jet Thruster, to integrate the company’s technology with Yamaha joystick control and a single outboard. The system coordinates the Yamaha outboard and the Jet Thruster automatically, directing power based on joystick input and giving captains precise, responsive control without requiring management of the wheel and shift controls independently.
When the operator pushes the joystick sideways, the Yamaha outboard and the Jet Thruster work together to provide lateral movement, helping the captain line up with a dock, slip or trailer. Twisting the joystick coordinates the outboard and thruster to rotate the pontoon, making it easier to change direction or reposition longer pontoons in tight spaces or challenging winds. Moving the joystick forward or backward uses the Yamaha outboard for propulsion, steering and speed control. DockPoint Pontoon also includes Joystick Hold for low-speed cruising.
The Jet Thruster draws water from beneath the pontoon and directs it through nozzles near the bow to create lateral thrust. The pump-based design reduces cavitation for quiet operation. Beyond docking, DockPoint Pontoon gives captains precise joystick control whenever careful positioning at low speeds is required.
Yamaha engineered DockPoint Pontoon specifically for pontoon applications. The pump sits toward the rear of the center pontoon for weight distribution and water intake, while the Jet Thruster nozzles are positioned toward the bow beneath the ski locker. The flush-mounted design minimizes interference with trailering, lifting and storage while preserving valuable onboard storage space. Yamaha also designed the system to minimize hydrodynamic drag and its impact on the pontoon’s top speed.
The system uses a Vetus ® BowPro Brushless 24-volt motor system powered by two standard 12-volt batteries. The thruster motor controller includes built-in DC-to-DC charging capability, allowing the Yamaha outboard to charge the batteries during normal boat operation and help keep the system ready for repeated docking and maneuvering.
Designed for OEM installation during pontoon manufacturing, DockPoint Pontoon arrives as a preassembled unit to streamline installation and rigging. The system is recommended for single-engine pontoons from 24-to-30 feet with Yamaha DEC/DES-equipped outboards from 150-to-450-horsepower, and carries Yamaha’s standard three-year limited warranty.
DockPoint Pontoon will be available to pontoon manufacturers in 2027 for select 2028 model year pontoons.
Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit, based in Kennesaw, Ga., markets and sells marine outboard motors ranging in size from 2.5 to 450 horsepower. It also engineers, manufactures, markets, and sells boat control systems, IOT control devices, fiberglass, jet-drive sport boats ranging from 19 to 29 feet, and personal watercraft. The unit includes the manufacturing divisions of Yamaha Marine Systems Co., Inc., including Yamaha Marine Rotational Molders of Milwaukee (rotational molding), Bennett Marine of Deerfield Beach, Fla. (trim tabs), and Yamaha Marine Precision Propellers of Indianapolis (stainless steel propellers). Yamaha Marine Business Unit is a division of Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A.
This document contains many of Yamaha's valuable trademarks. It may also contain trademarks belonging to other companies. Any references to other companies or their products are for identification purposes only and are not intended to be an endorsement.
REMEMBER to always observe all applicable boating laws. Never drink and drive. Dress properly with a USCG-approved personal floatation device and protective gear. © 2026 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved.
Yamaha Introduces DockPoint® Pontoon, Integrating Joystick Outboard Control with Jet Thruster Technology
