On Friday Saudi Arabia ordered the Lebanese ambassador to the kingdom to leave Saudi Arabia within 48 hours.

Saudi Arabia made this request following a diplomatic rift between the two countries. The rift was triggered when Lebanese information minister George Kordahi called the war in Yemen ‘futile’. Kordahi further stated that Yemen was subjected to aggression and that Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis were acting in ‘self defence’.

Kordahi made these comments on 5 August on Al Jazeera.

Pressure is being put on Kordahi to resign. Kordahi has however said that it will not resign over the incident. Saudi Arabia has also banned all Lebanese imports.

In April, Saudi Arabia banned all fruit and vegetable imports from Lebanon blaming an increase in drug smuggling. The ban added to Lebanon’s economic problems. The country is in the throes of one of its deepest financial crises.

In solidarity with Saudi Arabia, the UAE has withdrawn its diplomats from Lebanon at the end of October. Bahrein and Kuwait have also summoned their ambassadors in Lebanon  for consultations.