The story: Saudi Arabia has expelled Lebanon’s ambassador and cut all imports over controversial remarks on the war in Yemen made by Lebanese Minister of Information George Kordahi. In an interview that was aired on Oct. 25—but recorded prior to his government posting—Kordahi defended the Ansarullah movement, better known as the Houthis, and criticized the Saudi-led war. The diplomatic row comes as economically struggling Lebanon attempts to mend relations with wealthy Gulf states.

The coverage: Kordahi did the interview with a program affiliated with Qatar’s Al-Jazeera network. The controversy stems from his assertion that Saudi Arabia and the UAE have targeted “homes, villages, funerals, and weddings” in Yemen...