WASHINGTON — The United States froze yesterday the US assets of Syria’s interior minister and a second official, accusing them of leading military and security operations in Lebanon, as the Bush administration increased its pressure on Syria. The Treasury Department said Syrian Interior Minister Ghazi Kanaan and Rustum Ghazali, identified as the chief of Syrian military intelligence for Lebanon, had helped destabilize the region. Tensions between the United States and Syria have increased over US allegations that Damascus was hiding agents in Lebanon, undermining efforts to stabilize Iraq and supporting terrorism in the region. In May, President Bush extended for another year the economic sanctions imposed on Syria and said the Arab country remained a threat to the United States. (Reuters)