BEIRUT (Dispatches) -- Saudi Arabia has consolidated its control over Lebanon’s political institutions, with a senior Saudi envoy effectively managing government business in Beirut, according to a report published by Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar.
The report states that Saudi Arabia played a decisive role in the elections of President Joseph Aoun and the appointment of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, informing Qatar and Lebanese figures in advance that Najib Mikati would not remain premier. 
Since then, Riyadh has imposed its will on Beirut without facing meaningful opposition, particularly after the terrorist assassination of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah — an event celebrated in Saudi Arabia alongside the U.S. and Israeli occupied territories.
Yazid bin Farhan, identified as a prominent Saudi envoy, has returned to Beirut on what sources describe as a new mission. 
According to the report, he is seeking a major political bargain: extending Lebanon’s parliamentary term until 2030 in exchange for a cabinet reshuffle that would bring the Free Patriotic Movement into government, while keeping Salam as prime minister until the next elections.
The report says bin Farhan can manage Lebanese cabinet sessions, influence parliamentary votes, direct operations at Beirut airport, and expedite deals at the port with a single text message. 
Saudi Arabia is also said to have pressured Qatar to cut all engagement with Lebanese political forces and instructed its allies to avoid dealings with the UAE, following a recent Emirati trade delegation visit.
Fears of Salam’s government collapsing have driven rapid Saudi intervention, the report says. 
When some Lebanese parties sought to set a date for a government session to review the cabinet’s performance — a move that could have led to its fall — Riyadh reportedly warned President Aoun that the government’s collapse was unacceptable and mobilized parliamentary allies to prevent it. 
Bin Farhan even dispatched a monitor to observe lawmakers during the session, while the United States also mobilized, according to the report.
Salam’s government secured only 68 votes, which the report describes as a worrying signal: in an exceptional moment, the premier could fall with less than half of parliament’s support.
The report also says that Saudi Arabia fears the return of former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who retains significant standing among Lebanon’s Sunni community. Extending parliament until 2030 would effectively eliminate any prospect of Hariri’s political comeback, preserving Riyadh’s arrangements in Beirut.
Even Saudi-aligned figures are reportedly frustrated, feeling they were deceived — holding key ministries but wielding little real influence, as President Aoun consolidates power.