‍By CGTN's Asia Today

"I think Saad Hariri felt insecure and probably because of the existing upheaval that has been in Lebanon for a long time since the assassination of his father especially in 2005. What we do know and is not speculation is that Lebanon is now in the eye of the storm when it comes to the Iranian-Saudi cold war and the proxy war in the region," said Meir Javedenfar, a Middle East analyst and a research fellow at Haifa University in Israel.

His comments on CGTN’s Asia Today come as the head of Lebanon's militant group Hezbollah appealed for calm in the country on Sunday and accused Saudi Arabia of forcing Prime Minister Saad Hariri to resign. 

Hariri left office in a televised speech, citing an assassination plot and Iran’s meddling in Arab affairs.

His father, former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, was assassinated in 2005. He also slammed Iran for sowing "fear and destruction" in several countries in the region.

Hariri’s resignation has brought to the surface a long-standing sectarian conflict within Lebanon which risks toppling the current coalition government. 

Ever since its 14-year civil war ended in 1989, Lebanon has tried hard to maintain its plurality. It managed to form a coalition government in 2016, bringing together almost all of the main political parties, including the Shi-ite Hezbollah and the Sunni March 14 Alliance. 

Hezbollah emerged with the backing of Iran, and now represents roughly 50 percent of Lebanese political constituents. 

The government and Lebanese factions share the common view that Israel is Lebanon's enemy. But Hezbollah's involvement in Syria and its alliance with Iran have sharpened sectarian tensions and deepened hostility from the Saudi-led Gulf states. 

Meir Javedenfar said that Hariri’s resignation would do nothing but strengthen the proxy war between Iran and the Gulf States and ratchet up regional tensions. 

"Lebanese people are paying a price for being in the middle of the proxy war. What happens in Lebanon now without Hariri will impact the efforts to find peace in Syria, would impact the efforts to reduce tensions in Yemen and could also create fertile ground for a future war between Israel and Lebanon," he said.