Ammon News - The Biden administration is expected to impose new sanctions as soon as Thursday on two illegal outposts in the occupied West Bank that were used as a base for attacks by extremist Israeli settlers against Palestinian civilians, three U.S. officials told Axios.

It would be first time U.S. sanctions are imposed against entire outposts and not just against individuals.

The move comes as the Biden administration ratchets up pressure on the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over a range of issues, including settler violence against Palestinians and the war in Gaza, according to Axios.

There were nearly 500 Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians between Oct. 7 and Jan. 31 of this year, according to the UN humanitarian office (OCHA).

The second round of sanctions by the Biden administration to counter settler violence will also include sanctions against three Israeli settlers, the U.S. officials said.

A U.S. official said the sanctions against the two outposts are meant to send the message that the U.S. is targeting not only individuals but also entities that are involved in giving logistical and financial support to attacks against Palestinian civilians.

The sanctions would freeze assets the three settlers and two outposts might have in the U.S., ban them from getting a visa to enter the U.S. and block them from using the U.S. financial system.

The State Department didn't immediately respond to questions about the new sanctions.

On Feb. 1, President Biden signed an executive order allowing the U.S. to impose new sanctions on Israeli settlers — and potentially Israeli politicians and government officials — involved in violent attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank.

The unprecedented executive order was the most significant step any U.S. administration had taken in response to the violence.

The first round of sanctions under the new executive order included four Israeli settlers who the U.S. said were directly involved in attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank and systematic acts that led to the forced displacement of Palestinian communities.

Since then the U.K., France and Canada announced similar sanctions.