On July 18th, the Treasury Department designated 29 senior officials of the Syrian government, five companies linked to the Syrian government agency responsible for developing and producing non-conventional weapons and the missiles to deliver them, Scientific Studies and Research Center, and a company owned by Rami Makhluf, an associate of Syria's President Assad. These actions freeze any assets the designated individuals or entities may hold in the U.S. and prohibit U.S. persons or companies from dealing with them.Treasury Department Press Release.