Yemen rebels threaten to block Saudi imports amid row with Lebanon

Houthi rebels have threatened to block the entry of Saudi products into Yemen, amid a row between Saudi Arabia and Lebanon over the conflict in the war-torn country.

The threat came shortly after Riyadh banned all Lebanese imports into the kingdom and expelled the Lebanese envoy over comments critical to the Saudi role in Yemen by Lebanon’s Information Minister George Kordahi.

"If Saudi Arabia bans Lebanon's products because of the position of the Lebanese information minister, I call on the (Houthi) government to ban the Saudi products into Yemen," the head of Houthi Supreme Revolutionary Committee, Muhammad Ali Al-Houthi, said on Twitter.

On Friday, Saudi Arabia recalled its ambassador to Lebanon for consultations and asked the Lebanese envoy to leave the kingdom within 48 hours.

That was precipitated by comments made by Kordahi against Riyadh in a televised interview said to be recorded before he took his post in the new Cabinet headed by Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

Asked if he "thinks that the Houthis, like Hezbollah, are defending their land as an armed organization," Kordahi responded: "Of course they are defending themselves ... My personal opinion is that this war in Yemen needs to end. Houses, buildings, villages, and cities are being attacked by fighter jets."

In an attempt to avert a crisis, Mikati said Kordahi made the comment before taking his post and it does not reflect the government's position. He added that the remarks in no way demonstrate Lebanon's policy with Arab countries, especially Saudi Arabia.

Yemen has been engulfed by violence and instability since 2014, when Iran-aligned Houthi rebels captured much of the country, including the capital, Sanaa.

A Saudi-led coalition aimed at reinstating the Yemeni government has worsened the situation and caused one of the world’s worst man-made humanitarian crises.