Saudi Arabia's top diplomat landed in Beirut on Thursday to meet the country's new leadership in the first visit by a high-ranking official from the kingdom after more than a decade of strained ties.

Saudi Arabia's foreign minister visits Lebanon on Thursday in the first trip to Beirut by Riyadh's top diplomat in 15 years, seeking a commitment to reform as the Gulf state reasserts sway in a country where Iranian influence is waning.

The planned reopening of the hotel, which was damaged in the 2020 port explosion, follows Saudi-backed Gen. Joseph Aoun's becoming president of Lebanon.

Then, a Saudi delegation headed by the kingdom’s envoy, Prince Yazid bin Farhan, flew into Beirut for the second time in a week. It held a blitz of meetings with various political parties. By the time they left, there was only one candidate left: the US-backed Aoun.

The 15-month conflict in Gaza has tilted the balance of power in the Middle East against the Saudi Arabian kingdom's longtime rival Iran.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is preparing to reopen its embassy in Beirut after more than three years, a high-level delegation confirmed during a visit to Lebanon on Monday. The move marks a significant step in mending ties between the Gulf Arab state and Lebanon, following the embassy’s closure in October 2021.

Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said on Tuesday he did not see Donald Trump's new administration increasing the risk of an Israel-Iran conflict, addressing an issue the region has feared since the start of Israel's war in Gaza.

Widely seen as US, Saudi Arabia's first choice, the 61-year-old general has forged relations across Lebanon's sectarian divides but is often criticized by Hezbollah affiliates

Macron also spoke to Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ahead of the visit. Paris has sought to get Riyadh to re-engage in Lebanon for months and the arrival of Joseph Aoun to the presidency and Nawaf Salam as prime minister has helped that process.

The new president, Joseph Aoun, is a favorite of America, France, and Saudi Arabia. He even gets a cautious endorsement from Israel amid skepticism

A high-level Emirati delegation is in Lebanon to make arrangements for the reopening of the UAE's embassy in Beirut after more than three years, state news agency WAM reported on Monday. The arrival of the delegation on Sunday came a day after UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and newly elected Lebanese President Joseph Aoun agreed to take the necessary steps to reopen the embassy.

Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told President Donald Trump that the kingdom wants to put $600 billion into expanded investment and trade with