Saudis to Leb over Hez attack: It’s war!

Saudi Arabia on Monday accused Lebanon of declaring war against the kingdom following attacks by the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah.

Saudi Gulf Affairs Minister Thamer al-Sabhan told Al-Arabiya TV that Saad al-Hariri, who announced his resignation as Lebanon’s prime minister on Saturday, had been told that acts of “aggression” by Lebanon-based Hezbollah “were considered acts of a declaration of war against Saudi Arabia by Lebanon and by the Lebanese Party of the Devil.”

At the same time, the Saudi-led military coalition fighting Houthi rebels in Yemen said it would close all air, land and sea ports to the Arabian Peninsula country to stem the flow of arms to the Houthis from Iran.

The move, which follows the interception of a missile fired toward Riyadh on Saturday, is likely to worsen a humanitarian crisis in Yemen that the United Nations says has pushed some 7 million people to the brink of famine.

Saudi Arabia and its Gulf Arab allies have made clear they view Iran as mainly responsible for the Yemen conflict, in which more than 10,000 people have been killed in the past two years.

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel alJubeir said on Twitter Monday that Riyadh reserved the right to respond to what he called Iran’s “hostile actions.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif shot back that Saudi Arabia was blaming Tehran for the consequences of its own “wars of aggression.”

The escalating tensions came during a period of upheaval for Saudi Arabia, a key US ally.

On Saturday, 11 Saudi princes, including the country’s most prominent businessman, Alwaleed bin Talal, were arrested on corruption charges.

The moves were supposedly part of an anti-corruption crackdown but were widely seen as a plot by Crown Prince and heir apparent Mohammed bin Salman to consolidate his power.

The country is facing the transition from King Salman, 81, to his son, Mohammed bin Salman.

Since the death of the country’s founder, Ibn Saud, a k a Abdulaziz, in 1953, all of his successors have been much older men who had short reigns.

The crown prince is only 32, and his elevation over more senior and experienced uncles and cousins has caused resentment.

But Saudi law states that the king has to be a male heir of Abdulaziz, who had 45 sons by 22 wives.

In a tweet Monday night, President Trump said he has “great confidence in King Salman and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, they know exactly what they are doing . . . Some of those they are harshly treating have been ‘milking’ their country for years!”

King Salman and the t Crown Prince [Mohammed bin Salman, left] ... . know exactly what they are doing. doing . — President Trump