Saudi Arabia vs Iran

Saudi Arabia has accused Iran of an “act of war” after a missile was intercepted over the capital city Riyadh. The long-range ballistic rocket was fired by Houthi rebels in Yemen, however the Saudi ruling coalition claimed the missile launch was an aggressive act by Iran, who reportedly smuggled weapons to the Yemeni militias.

Saudi Arabia vs Yemen

There is growing tension between Yemen and the Saudis due to the same incident, as it was Yemeni Houthi militias who fired the missile. Saudi Arabia closed all ground, air and sea access to Yemen following the rocket attack. The kingdom said the closures would be temporary and take into account the work of humanitarian organisations. Yemen’s Houthi rebels have been fighting against its internationally-recognised government in a civil war that started in 2015. The rebels, backed by Iran, have seized control of the capital Sanaa and forced the government into exile.

Saudi Arabia vs Lebanon

Saudi Arabia has accused Lebanon of declaring war against the kingdom over aggression by Lebanese group Hezbollah. Thamer al-Sabhan, the Saudi minister for Gulf affairs, said the Lebanese government would now “be dealt with as a government declaring war on Saudi Arabia” over “acts of agressionn” by Hezbollah.

Lebanon vs Iran

Lebanon is fully immersed in the regional power play between Saudi Arabia and Iran with key political figures playing into it. Now ex-prime minister Saas al-Hariri has blamed Iranian interference in Lebanon for his resignation over the weekend. He described Hezbollah - a political party with an allegedly terrorist military wing which was part of his “unity” government - as “Iran’s arm” in Lebanon.

Bahrain vs Lebanon

Bahrain has ordered its citizens to leave Lebanon amid mounting tensions between regional powers and Iran. It will also ban its citizens from travelling to Lebanon amid fears for the country’s stability after Mr al-Hariri’s resignation.

Qatar vs Everyone

Several countries, including Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, have severed diplomatic ties with Qatar and imposed land, sea and air blockades. Qatar is accused of supporting terrorist groups, including Islamic State and Hezbollah - charges the oil-rich state strongly denies. 

So don’t be fooled by the mainstream media.  They may be trying to convince you that everything is just wonderful, but that is not the reality that most people are facing at all.