Qatar–Saudi Arabia diplomatic conflict
Both rivals also backed the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad , a key ally of Iran and its Lebanese proxy Hezbollah . Qatari involvement in the Syrian Civil War was initially far greater in 2013 than Saudi involvement , and their backing of rival revolutionary groups benefited the incumbent government of Bashar al-Assad and what would become the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria . In 2014 , the two countries backed rival sides in the Second Libyan Civil War , which continues to intensify , and they had even temporarily severed diplomatic relations with each other . 
<triplet> Syria <subj> Bashar al-Assad <obj> head of state <subj> Lebanese <obj> diplomatic relation <triplet> Hezbollah <subj> Lebanese <obj> country