The Saudi government is expelling Lebanon’s ambassador, state media said. The Lebanese diplomat has 48 hours to leave the country. The Saudi ambassador in Beirut, in turn, must return to Saudi Arabia as soon as possible. The government has also stopped imports from Lebanon.
The diplomatic measures were prompted by statements by Lebanese Information Minister Kordahi about the military intervention in Yemen, which began in 2015 under the leadership of Saudi Arabia, among others. In a television interview in August, he described that war as “absurd”. He also spoke of aggression from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Footage of the conversation went viral on social media this week. At the time of the interview, Kordahi was not yet a minister: he only became one in September, after a career as a TV presenter.
In Yemen, Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, are fighting the government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The United Nations has labeled the war as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
Lebanese Prime Minister Mikati says he regrets the Saudi measures but continues to work to restore the relationship.
Hezbollah
Tensions between Saudi Arabia and Lebanon had already risen recently Al Jazeera. This is mainly due to the influence of the militant Hezbollah fighting group in Lebanon, which according to Saudi Arabia is becoming too big. Minister Kordahi sympathizes with a political party associated with Hezbollah.
Saudi Arabia sees Hezbollah as a terrorist movement, just like many other countries. The European Union put the military wing of the movement on its terror list in 2013.
Lebanon has been struggling with economic crises and political tensions for years. Last year’s devastating explosion in the port of the capital Beirut has exacerbated the crisis in the country.
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