Saudi Arabia Bans Lebanese Imports, Expels Ambassador Over War Comment
NDTV
The crisis erupted when Saudi Arabia gave Lebanon's ambassador 48 hours to leave the country, recalled its envoy from Beirut, and suspended all imports from Lebanon.
Financially crippled Lebanon finds itself in a new tug-of-war between regional kingpins Saudi Arabia and Iran after Riyadh and other wealthy Gulf states expelled the Lebanese envoy, analysts say.
The crisis erupted Friday when Saudi Arabia gave Lebanon's ambassador 48 hours to leave the country, recalled its envoy from Beirut and suspended all imports from Lebanon.
The Saudi foreign ministry said the measures were taken after "insulting" remarks made by a Lebanese minister on the Yemen war, but also due to the influence of Lebanon's Iran-backed Shiite movement Hezbollah.
The group, it said, controls Lebanese ports and "hijacks" the government's decision-making in Beirut.