Saudi Arabia’s call for international coalition against Hezbollah faces obstacles
A Saudi politician called for the establishment of an international coalition to confront Lebanon’s Hezbollah, a suggestion that did not garner much support, namely in Europe.
Saudi Arabia appears to be trying to take the confrontation with Hezbollah to a whole new level by calling for an international coalition against the Lebanese movement.
In a tweet Oct. 8, Saudi Minister of State for Gulf Affairs Thamer al-Sabhan wrote, “The solution is to form a strict international coalition to confront [Hezbollah] and those who work with it in order to achieve regional peace and security.”
This comment received a quick response from Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, just hours later during a speech to commemorate Hezbollah commander Ali al-Asheq and Hezbollah member Mohammad Nasreddine, both of whom were killed recently in clashes with Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria.
“Regional peace and security can be achieved when Saudi Arabia stops backing Wahhabi groups,” Nasrallah said. “Saudi Arabia is preventing security and peace in Yemen, Bahrain, Iraq and Pakistan.”
