Qaouq: Saudi Arabia Wants to Make up for its Regional Losses by Attacking Lebanon

Hizbullah deputy Secretary General Sheikh Nabil Qaouq remarked on Saturday that Saudi Arabia has reached a “desperate” stage following its losses in the region.

He said: “The kingdom wants to make up for its losses in Syria and Yemen by attacking Lebanon.”

“Five years have passed since the eruption of the Syrian crisis and Damascus is still standing,” he added.

Saudi Arabia is “reaping the rewards of its failure in Yemen, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon.”

“It seeks to humiliate and extort the Lebanese and push them towards internal strife,” declared Qaouq.

“Riyadh is mistaken however... because Lebanon is immune to strife and the identity of the Lebanese army is also immune to extortion,” he said.

Saudi Arabia halted last week an army grant to the Lebanese army in wake of Hizbullah's antagonistic stances towards Riyadh and in wake of Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil's abstention from voting in favor of Arab League resolutions condemning an attack against the Saudi embassy in Tehran.

The kingdom also urged its citizens to avoid travel to Lebanon, a measure adopted later by Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.

Lebanese officials have throughout the week exerted efforts to improve ties with Riyadh amid reports that Prime Minister Tammam Salam would soon embark on a Gulf tour.

Qaouq added: “Saudi Arabia did not target a party, the army, or any sect, but it assaulted the dignity and sovereignty of all Lebanese. The Saudi regime has therefore embarked on a dangerous adventure with Lebanon.”

“It is now in a crisis and it does not how, when, or where to end this unjust attack against Lebanon, which will only end in failure for the kingdom, because the resistance has proven that battlefields are more powerful and will not be susceptible to anyone's extortion,” he said.

“Those waiting for us to make an apology for condemning the Saudi assault on Yemen will wait a very, very, very long time,” he vowed.