Lebanese minister resigns to ease Saudi crisis

Lebanon's information minister resigned on Friday. The resignation aims to ease an unprecedented diplomatic crisis with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries.

Minister George Kordahi made the announcement at a press conference in Beirut. the announcement came weeks after Kordahi's televised comments aired in October that were critical of Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia had recalled its ambassador and banned all Lebanese imports in response to Kordahi's initial comments, affecting hundreds of businesses and cutting off hundreds of millions in foreign currency to Lebanon.

Kordahi said he had decided to step down because he doesn't "accept being used to hurt Lebanon and my Lebanese brothers in Saudi Arabia, and other Gulf nations." It is not clear whether Kordahi's resignation would placate Saudi Arabia enough to reverse its decisions and prevent further escalation, or whether it would open the door for Cabinet meetings to resume.