Hizbollah claims Riyadh has declared war on Lebanon
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The head of Lebanon’s powerful, Iranian-backed Hizbollah militant group claimed Saudi Arabia had declared war on his country and accused Riyadh of holding the Lebanese prime minister against his will.
In a televised speech on Friday, Hassan Nasrallah told his followers “do not be anxious or frightened”, arguing that Lebanese leaders on all sides of the political spectrum were staying in contact and were trying to maintain calm.
Lebanon was thrown into turmoil last Saturday after Saad al-Hariri, its prime minister, was summoned to Saudi Arabia, where he announced his resignation. He is yet to return. Critics claim the resignation, widely seen as forced, was the first salvo of a Saudi campaign against Hizbollah.
Hizbollah has expanded its influence in recent years to play a role in neighbouring Syria’s war and in nearby Iraq. It is probably because of this that Riyadh sees Hizbollah as the most effective vehicle to pressure Iran as tensions between the Gulf rivals heat up.
Riyadh was frustrated that Mr Hariri, a longtime ally, shared power with Hizbollah in his one-year government. Mr Hariri’s critics said he has effectively provided a cover for Hizbollah influence to grow.
Earlier this week, the Saudi minister of gulf affairs said that, if the Lebanese government continued to give Hizbollah a role, it would be considered a government that had declared war on the kingdom. On Thursday, Riyadh issued a travel warning calling on all its nationals to leave Lebanon.
“This is a war on Lebanon, not just on Hizbollah,” Mr Nasrallah said, urging both his supporters and Saudi-backed political rivals not to turn against each other. “You can punish Hizbollah without punishing the Lebanese people, without punishing the Lebanese government. Work your brains a bit — you’ll think of something.”
Lebanon has long been a country where the region’s political rivalries were played out — particularly between Riyadh and Tehran — but interest in the country had diminished as the focus shifted to Iraq and Syria. But now, with Saudi Arabia’s war effort in Yemen flailing and the struggles in Iraq and Syria looking likely to end in Iran’s favour, Riyadh appears to be shifting its focus back on Lebanon.
“Saudi is coming to take out their anger on Lebanon, because they can’t in Iran,” Mr Nasrallah mocked, adding that the goal now was to wipe out his organisation, which he said the Saudis would be unable to achieve.
“I’m going to help them a bit: don’t make the goal eradicating Hizbollah . . . Find some more realistic goals.”
One of the most pressing concerns for the country, however, is to determine whether its prime minister is being held by force and whether his resignation is legal. Mr Nasrallah and his political allies argue it is illegitimate until he returns.
The French foreign minister said on Friday that Paris believes Mr Hariri’s movements in Saudi Arabia are free, but other members of the diplomatic corps said they had no proof either way. However, western governments, especially in Europe, are raising concern that a prolonged absence could stoke instability.
A day after saying Washington supported Mr Hariri’s resignation, Rex Tillerson, US secretary of state, appeared to change course. “We respect Lebanese Prime Minister Saad a-Hariri as a strong partner of the United States,” he said. “The United States supports the stability of Lebanon and is opposed to any actions that could threaten that stability.”
In his speech, Mr Nasrallah spoke more bluntly. “I want to say with complete honesty and clarity: The prime minister of Lebanon is detained by Saudi Arabia and is being prevented from returning. They must release him.”
The main concerns for Lebanon now is whether a prolonged crisis could shake its fragile economy, or whether Riyadh could stoke internal clashes. Others worry that the Saudis could encourage Israel to start the war it has long threatened against Hizbollah.
Mr Nasrallah said war with Israel as unlikely. But he is concerned about internal strife. He pointed to the relative security and economic stability the country has enjoyed in a region awash in chaos and destruction. “Saudi Arabia is calling you to destroy this . . . it is inviting you to war, to destroying your homes with your own hands.”
Additional reporting by Katrina Manson
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