Daijiworld Media Network - Beirut

Beirut, Jul 9: In a significant diplomatic shift, Saudi Arabia has begun reasserting its influence in Lebanon’s political landscape, aligning with the United States in a renewed push to stabilise the crisis-hit country and weaken Hezbollah’s grip.

Prince Yazid bin Farhan, Riyadh’s envoy, held a series of high-level, closed-door meetings with Lebanese leaders including President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and Speaker Nabih Berri. The visit, which went unannounced, set the stage for US envoy Thomas Barrack’s arrival in Beirut to discuss a bold American proposal aimed at disarming the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.

“What the government gave us was something spectacular,” Barrack told reporters after receiving a detailed seven-page reply from Lebanese authorities. His visit follows Washington’s offer tying economic reconstruction aid and the halt of Israeli military operations to Hezbollah’s full disarmament.

Though Hezbollah has pulled back from Israel’s northern border following a fragile ceasefire last November, the Israeli military continues to strike southern Lebanon almost daily and insists on total disarmament of the group.

Sources suggest Saudi Arabia and the US are working in tandem to pressure Lebanese leaders into adopting reforms and curbing Hezbollah’s power. Prince Yazid reportedly warned officials of dire consequences if Lebanon fails to meet international expectations. “There is a genuine opportunity that must be seized,” said a senior source involved in the diplomatic discussions.

Saudi Arabia’s renewed involvement marks a strategic pivot from years of disengagement, driven largely by Iran’s growing sway over Lebanese affairs through Hezbollah. Riyadh had distanced itself as Hezbollah evolved into a powerful parallel force, often described as a “state within a state.” But the militant group’s weakening after a year-long war with Israel appears to have opened a new window for diplomatic manoeuvres.

Saudi diplomacy has already played a role in ending Lebanon’s prolonged presidential vacuum earlier this year, with Prince Yazid acting as a key mediator. President Aoun’s decision to visit Riyadh for his first foreign trip was seen as a gesture of Saudi-Lebanese rapprochement.

Still, Saudi support remains cautious. While Riyadh backs Lebanon’s stability, it is adopting a “conditional engagement” model—linking financial aid to tangible reforms and curbing Hezbollah’s influence.

“The rest of the region is moving at high speed,” Barrack warned. “Lebanon must decide if it wants to change or be left behind.”