Saudi Arabia on Friday said it was recalling its ambassador from Lebanon as part of several steps amid growing tensions with Beirut over remarks on the war in Yemen made by a Lebanese government minister that Riyadh deemed offensive.
The oil-rich monarchy is leading a military campaign in neighbouring Yemen against the Iran-linked Houthi rebels.
Lebanese Information Minister George Kurdahi has said the Houthis were defending themselves against "foreign aggression."
The Lebanese government has distanced itself from Kurdahi's comment, saying they were "personal" remarks made before he was named information minister in September.
Prime Minister Najib Mikati's media office said in a statement issued late Friday that he had consulted with President Michel Aoun on developments, the state-run National News Agency reported.
As a result, "Mikati called Minister of Information George Kurdahi and asked him to assess the national interest and take the appropriate decision to reform Lebanon's Arab relations."
On Friday, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said the kingdom was recalling its ambassador from Lebanon for "consultation" and gave the Lebanese ambassador to Riyadh 48 hours to leave.
Saudi Arabia has also decided to halt all Lebanese exports, the ministry said in a statement, according to the official Saudi news agency SPA.
The statement said the measures were also due to what it described as Lebanon's failure to stop attempts to smuggle drugs into the country through Lebanese products.
"The terrorist Hezbollah is controlling all [Lebanese] outlets," it added, referring to a Lebanese movement allied with Iran, a regional rival of Saudi Arabia.
Riyadh also accused Hezbollah of supporting the Yemeni rebels.
The Saudi steps come as Lebanon is experiencing its worst economic crisis since its 1975-90 civil war.
In April, Saudi Arabia imposed a ban on the entry of Lebanese fruit and vegetable shipments into its territory, citing a spike in drug smuggling from Lebanon.
Late Friday Bahrain followed suit and asked the Lebanese ambassador to leave the country within the next 48 hours.
The Foreign Ministry in Manama announced on Friday the decision was taken "against the background of a series of unacceptable and offensive statements issued by Lebanese officials in recent times."
"This decision does not affect the Lebanese residents in the kingdom," the ministry said.
