A Saudi panel debated possible Saudi measures against Hizbullah on Rotana Khalijiyya TV on November 8. Saudi political commentator Mobarak Al-Atty said that he hoped for a "direct military operation that will annihilate Hizbullah," either by the Islamic Military Alliance or by the international coalition. Retired Saudi General Shami Al-Dhaheri, former head of the Saudi Command and Staff College, reiterated that there was no option other than a military operation against Hizbullah, which he called "Iran's model organization."

Mobarak Al-Atty:The Lebanese will not be able to confront Hizbullah, which has become stronger than the state. If the Lebanese really want to contain Hizbullah, they should turn to the help of friendly countries. There are Arab countries. There are friendly countries. Some countries possess the capability to contain Hizbullah through various means. It can be done through political measures, like the ones Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries took last year, when they imposed economic measures against the Lebanese and contained Lebanon, or else, it could be done through a military operation, which is the more probable option, the one I, personally, am hoping for. "

Speaker:"A direct military operation by the Islamic Military Alliance?"

Mobarak Al-Atty:"Yes, a direct military operation that will annihilate Hizbullah. If we want the region to live..."

Speaker:"By the Islamic Military Alliance?"

Mobarak Al-Atty:"Either by the Islamic Military Alliance, which Saudi Arabia managed to establish in a matter of hours, or by the international coalition, in which Saudi Arabia is second in the number of aerial attacks."

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Shami Al-Dhaheri:"Today, Hizbullah is the most powerful authority in Iran [sic]. It is very powerful, and even the president submits to it. Who appointed President Aoun? Who appointed the foreign minister? Who approved the government? It was all done by Hizbullah. Hizbullah is Iran's model organization. There is a weak government, to which Iran submits its demands, and if that government does not approve them, Iran has..."

Speaker:"The authority of Hizbullah."

Shami Al-Dhaheri:"Which is very powerful and imposed its position... Therefore, I believe the only way to control Hizbullah is by a military operation."

Speaker:"A foreign military operation?"

Shami Al-Dhaheri: "Both foreign and domestic... The U.S. declared a few days ago... It was either Kerry [sic] or the American representative in the United Nations, or Trump himself in his visit to Yemen..."

Speaker: "You mean Japan..."

Shami Al-Dhaheri:"He said: We must contain Iran's role in the Middle East. That is the position of the American government. They know you cannot contain Iran without containing Hizbullah. Let me ask you something. Look at the missile [fired by the Houthis on Riyadh], and about Al-Hariri's resignation... Who is making statements about this? That Hassan Nasrallah. Is he the president? We haven’t heard anything from the President of Lebanon."

Speaker:"So the solution is a military operation?"

Shami Al-Dhaheri: "There is no other option."

Mobarak Al-Atty: "The political circumstances and atmosphere in the region make any political solution impossible. Political solutions require a lot of patience, but the region is teeming with issues, and first and foremost the war on terror, a war powerfully led by Saudi Arabia. If we want to secure the region from cross-border terrorist organizations, then – just as we hit Qatar with economic sanctions – Hizbullah must be hit militarily. The military arm of the Islamic Military Alliance must take action, in order to annihilate Hizbullah. The political atmosphere is supportive of Saudi Arabia, which has become a country capable of making a decision and executing it abroad.

"Let me add my voice to that of General Shami [Al-Dhaheri]. The only thing that can annihilate Hizbullah is a military operation with a specific goal. This should be carried out by Arab or Islamic countries."