Bahrain urges its citizens to leave Lebanon as crisis grows

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Bahrain has urged its citizens in Lebanon to leave immediately as a diplomatic crisis escalates between Gulf Arab states and cash-strapped Lebanon. Bahrain’s foreign ministry on Tuesday ordered all Bahrainis to leave Lebanon “due to the tense situation there, which requires caution,” days after the United Arab Emirates did the same. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE and Kuwait have all withdrawn their ambassadors from Beirut over a televised remark critical of the war in Yemen made by Lebanon’s game show host-turned-information minister. Anger has boiled over in the Gulf Arab region and triggered a series of punitive steps that further isolate Lebanon and threaten to split its new coalition government.