Saudi Arabia Orders Its Citizens Out of Lebanon, Raising Fears of War<br />But even before the current crisis, fears were building in Lebanon<br />that Israel — which shares Saudi Arabia’s goal of rolling back Iranian power — would instigate another war against Hezbollah to curtail the increased power, influence and weaponry the Lebanese group has accumulated while playing a decisive role in the war in neighboring Syria.<br />While analysts said a war was unlikely — because Saudi Arabia was not capable of waging one and Israel did not want one now — they worried<br />that with so many active conflicts in the region, any Saudi actions that raised the temperature increased the risk of an accidental conflagration.<br />Several Israeli officials seized on Mr. Hariri’s resignation — which he attributed to Iranian interference — as proof<br />that Hezbollah, Iran and the Lebanese government were one and the same.<br />At the same time, we have to be very cautious to prevent an unnecessary escalation in the region.”<br />Daniel B. Shapiro, a former United States ambassador to Israel, said more bluntly<br />that it was one thing for Israel to see eye to eye with Saudi Arabia about who their adversaries were, “but it’s another to let a young, impulsive leader set the pace, when he won’t have to do all the fighting.”<br />Adding to the confusion, no one professes to understand Saudi Arabia’s logic or goals in Lebanon.<br />BEIRUT, Lebanon — Saudi Arabia ordered its citizens to leave Lebanon on Thursday, escalating a bewildering crisis between the two Arab nations<br />and raising fears that it could lead to an economic crisis or even war.<br />Despite the worries, analysts, officials and diplomats said<br />that although they were not privy to the thinking of the Saudi crown prince, it was far-fetched that Saudi Arabia would launch a military action against Lebanon, since it is already overstretched in a war it started two years ago against Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen.
