Saudi Arabia is quietly reasserting itself in Lebanon’s political file, amid renewed regional interest in stabilising the country’s fragile institutions and restoring state sovereignty.
Last week, Riyadh dispatched its envoy to Lebanon, Prince Yazid bin Farhan, for high-level meetings with senior Lebanese officials, including President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri – all held behind closed doors.
The unannounced visit aimed to prepare the ground for US envoy Thomas Barrack’s arrival in Beirut, according to Lebanese sources.
Mr Barrack landed in the Lebanese capital on Monday to seek the government’s response to a US proposal to disarm Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group. Speaking at a press conference at the presidential palace south-east of Beirut, Mr Barrack said he would study a seven-page reply from Lebanese authorities.
“What the government gave us was something spectacular in a very short period of time and a very complicated manner,” he told reporters.
Mr Barrack’s visit came amid fears that Hezbollah’s refusal to immediately disarm could reignite the war with Israel after a shaky ceasefire agreement went into effect in November.
Last month, Mr Barrack gave Lebanese officials a proposal that aims to disarm Hezbollah and move on with some economic reforms to get Lebanon out of its nearly six-year economic crisis, the worst in its modern history.
“Both the Saudis and Americans are aligned on Lebanon’s future and believe there is a genuine opportunity that must be seized,” said one of the sources.
Prince Yazid urged Lebanese officials to “adhere to international expectations”, the source added, warning of the consequences of inaction. The Saudi envoy's message mirrored the alignment between Riyadh and Washington, particularly on the conditionality of aid and the need to curtail Hezbollah’s parallel military power.
The National sought comment from the Saudi side but had not received a response by the time of publication.
Mr Barrack said US President Donald Trump is ready to help Lebanon change and “if you don’t want change, it’s no problem. The rest of the region is moving at high speed”, he said.
The US plan ties reconstruction aid and a halt to Israeli army operations to Hezbollah’s full disarmament around the country. Since the US-brokered ceasefire took hold, the armed group has pulled back almost all of its troops from the Israeli border, though Israel insists it must be disarmed nationwide.
Despite the truce, the Israeli army continues to bomb southern Lebanon almost daily and maintains control over five military posts along the southern border. It has also occasionally targeted Beirut's southern suburbs and the Beqaa Valley since the ceasefire.
Saudi Arabia’s renewed engagement
Saudi Arabia’s re-engagement marks a shift after years of diplomatic distance, prompted by Iran’s growing influence in Lebanon through its support for Hezbollah. Once described as a “state within a state”, Hezbollah’s power has been diminished following the year-long war with Israel that left the group militarily weakened.
The first clear sign of Riyadh’s return to Lebanon’s political scene came earlier this year, when Saudi backing was instrumental in ending a two-year presidential vacuum. At the centre of that push was Prince Yazid, who conducted several rounds of shuttle diplomacy and talks with Lebanese factions in the lead-up to Mr Aoun’s election.
Mr Aoun chose Riyadh for his first official foreign visit, where he held talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Lebanon, battered by war and economic collapse, is in urgent need of Arab and international support to begin reconstruction and revive its shattered economy.
Yet Saudi Arabia remains cautious. Observers describe its stance as “engaged but conditional” – interested in Lebanon’s stability but maintaining a wait-and-see approach, with financial assistance contingent on concrete reforms.
