Saudi-Emirati Rivalry Extends to Lebanon Amid Regional Tensions
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, Saudi Arabia‘s envoy to Lebanon, Yazeed bin Farhan, has expressed Riyadh’s dissatisfaction with its Arab allies’ passive neutrality in Lebanon. Tensions escalated after Beirut, alongside the UAE, refused to endorse Arab-Islamic statements condemning Tel Aviv’s recognition of Somaliland separatists.
Lebanese politicians aligned with Saudi Arabia have notably avoided taking sides in Riyadh’s disputes with Abu Dhabi over Yemen, further straining relations. Al-Akhbar revealed that Saudi officials suspect undisclosed Emirati involvement in Lebanon’s diplomatic decisions, citing Abu Dhabi’s growing political network with Lebanese factions like the Lebanese Forces Party, Al-Kataeb, and MP Fouad Makhzoumi.
Saudi concerns focus on the UAE’s expanding political, security, and media ties with Lebanon, while Riyadh seeks to prevent its rivalry with Abu Dhabi from spilling into Lebanese and Syrian affairs. The recent Saudi-Qatari rapprochement has added complexity to these geopolitical tensions.
