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Saudi Arabia Cuts Billions in Aid to Lebanon, Opening Door for Iran

Saudi Arabia has stopped providing billions of dollars in aid to Lebanon, presumably as punishment for Hezbollah supporting Iran in Syria. The New York Times reports that Saudi Arabia also announced a travel warning against Saudi citizens visiting Lebanon and declared Hezbollah to be a terrorist group, in addition to cutting aid. This course of action is viewed as impulsive or foolish by observers, and few expect it to result in Lebanon loosening its ties to Iran. Rather, the more probable outcome is that it will allow Iran to gain more influence in the region. 

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