On Thursday, Hezbollah claimed that Saudi Arabia’s actions in response to Information Minister George Kordahi’s comments amounted to “waging war” on Lebanon.

“The Saudi reaction… amounts to war, and [Kordahi’s comment] does not justify hasty measures against Lebanon and its people,” Hassan Ezzeddine, parliamentary bloc spokesman for the Iran-backed Shia movement, was quoted as saying by NBN TV.

Kordahi’s comments about Saudi Arabia and the UAE’s involvement in the Yemen war sparked a diplomatic crisis with Gulf countries. During an August 5 interview, he stated that the Iran-backed Houthis were “defending themselves… against foreign aggression [by the Arab Coalition].”

Saudi Arabia expelled Lebanon’s envoy and barred all Lebanese imports. Bahrain and Kuwait followed suit, and the United Arab Emirates withdrew its diplomats from Beirut and barred its citizens from visiting the country.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan told Al Arabiya on Sunday that the crisis is larger than Kordahi’s statements and that the main crisis is Hezbollah’s growing influence in Lebanon’s politics.

Early on, Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati tried to limit diplomatic fallout by dismissing Kordahi’s remarks and emphasizing that they had nothing to do with the government’s policy.

Mikati urged Kordahi once more on Thursday to prioritize Lebanon’s national interest: “I reiterate my call to the Minister of Information to… adopt the stance that needs to be taken and give priority to the national interest.”