Lebanese PM Resigns, Accuses Iran/Hezbollah of Assassination Attempt

[Zoomalia4Kucks]

The Sunni PM accused Hezbollah of Assassination Attempt: "We are living in a climate similar to the atmosphere that prevailed before the assassination of martyr Rafik al-Hariri. I have sensed what is being plotted covertly to target my life," Hariri said.

(5 Hezbollah fighters were convicted for assassinating his father in 2005 car bomb)

Also accused Iran of sowing Strife in Arab world and accused them of turning weapons on the citizens of Yemen, Syria, and Lebanon.

He is closely allied with Saudi Arabia

"In comments directed at Iran, he said the Arab world would "cut off the hands that wickedly extend to it". - PM Hariri

Israel is now using this to make the case that Iran needs to be stopped militarily before they can corrupt the whole middle East.

It looks like Arabs and Jews are teaming up against common enemy

[original dervish]

As far as the Israeli's are concerned the Arabs are little more than dogs....they can never be on the same team.
Iran/Hezbollah have nothing to gain by topping this PM.......they already have Lebanon on lock.

[PanSomaliNationalist]

They have Lebanon by the balls they shouldn't be worrying and let the dude live in peace

[Zoomalia4Kucks]

As far as the Israeli's are concerned the Arabs are little more than dogs....they can never be on the same team.
Iran/Hezbollah have nothing to gain by topping this PM.......they already have Lebanon on lock.

Saudi and Israel have always been in bed together. They will work together to get rid of common enemy (Iran).

[TheGrumpyGeeljire]

What a farce. Resigning in Saudi Arabia, probably on the orders of MBS. Shows how much puppeteering is going on in Lebanon.

[FAH1223]

[FAH1223]

Earlier this week the extremely sectarian Saudi Minister for Gulf Affairs Thamer al-Sabhan had threatened Hizbullah in Lebanon and announced surprises:

Firebrand Saudi State Minister for Gulf Affairs Thamer al-Sabhan on Monday called for “toppling Hizbullah” and promised “astonishing” developments in “the coming days.”
...
Referring to his Sunday tweet about the Lebanese government, the minister said: “I addressed my tweet to the government because the Party of Satan (Hizbullah) is represented in it and it is a terrorist party. The issue is not about toppling the government but rather that Hizbullah should be toppled.”

“The coming developments will definitely be astonishing,” al-Sabhan added.

In mid-October Joseph Bahout predicted this development:

Regionally, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are now seeking ways to compensate for the loss of Syria as a place where they could defy and bleed Iran. A renewed desire to reverse their regional fortunes could lead them to try regaining a foothold in Lebanon. The Gulf states, Israel, and the United States do not want Iran to reap the benefits of a victory in Syria. If ever they seek to rebalance the regional relationship with Tehran in the Levant, the only place to do so would be Lebanon, despite the many risks that would accompany such an effort.
In such an event, and despite its reticence to jeopardize its Lebanese sanctuary, Hezbollah could have no choice but to accept such a challenge, especially if there is an Israeli component to it.

The Hariri family made its money as owner of Saudi Oger, a construction company in Saudi Arabia. The Hariris have Saudi passports. Business has gone bad under Hariri junior. In July, Saudi Oger closed shop and the former billionaire family is rumored to be bankrupt. The Saudi rulers sponsors them.

Hariri had recently assigned a Lebanese ambassador to Syria. Yesterday, Hariri was visited in Beirut by Ali Velayati, a top advisor of the supreme leader Khamenei of Iran. The Saudis did not like either. Thamer's plan was set into motion. They sent a private jet and hauled Hariri to Riyadh. There, the Saudi clown prince Mohammad bin Salman gave Hariri his resignation statement (written by Thamer?) to be read by him on Saudi TV.

Irony alert: The Lebanese PM (with a Saudi passport) resigns on order of Saudi Arabia, in Saudi Arabia, on Saudi Arabian TV. In his Saudi written resignation statement excerpts he accuses Iran of foreign meddling in Lebanese politics.

(Hariri also suddenly claims that there was an assassination planned against him in Lebanon. This is nonsense. The Lebanese internal security organization says it has no knowledge of such a plot. Hariri needs an excuse to stay away from Lebanon and from the wrath of his followers. Saudi media are trying to create some fantastic story from that assassination claim. But there is no evidence to back it up.)

The resignation of Hariri is intended to provoke a constitutional crisis in Lebanon and to prevent new parliament elections. The further Saudi plan is likely to evolve around these elements:

• The Trump administration will announce new sanctions against Hizbullah and against Lebanon in general.
• The Saudi government will slip some of its al-Qaeda/ISIS proxy fighters from Syria and Iraq into Lebanon (possibly via Turkey by sea). It will finance local Lebanese terror operations.
• There will be new assassination attempts, terror attacks and general rioting by Sunni extremist elements against Christians and Shia in Lebanon.
• The U.S. will try to press the Lebanese army into a war against Hizbullah.
• Israel will try to provoke and divert Hizbullah's attention by new shenanigans at the Lebanese and Syrian border. It will NOT start a war.

The plan is unlikely to succeed:

• The Lebanese people as a whole have no interest in a new civil war.
• The Lebanese army will not get involved on any specific side but will try to keep everyone calm.
• Sanctions against Hizbullah will hit all of Lebanon, including Sunni interests.
• A new Sunni prime minister will be found and installed, replacing the resigned Saudi puppet.
• Russian and Iranian economic interests will find a new market in Lebanon. Russian companies will engage in Lebanese gas and oil extraction in the Mediterranean and replace U.S. involvement.