Berri Urges Members of his Bloc to Avoid Comments on Yemen Coalition

Speaker Nabih Berri has reportedly informed the members of his parliamentary bloc not to make statements on the Saudi-led coalition against Shiite rebels in Yemen.

The Kuwaiti al-Anba daily on Monday quoted Berri as telling his visitors that he informed Development and Liberation lawmakers and members of his Amal movement to avoid positive or negative remarks about the Saudi air strikes on the Huthi rebels.

But MP Michel Moussa denied to Voice of Lebanon (100.5) radio the report.

Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who is Berri's ally in the March 8 alliance, stressed last month that Saudi Arabia will be roundly "defeated" in its campaign, which he called "unjust" and "illegal.”

Hizbullah is now militarily involved in Syria, where it is bolstering the embattled regime, and reportedly in Iraq.

It is not clear if the party has sent its fighters to help the Iran-backed Huthis.

Hizbullah issued a statement on Saturday denying that any of its members had been killed in Yemen.

But the statement stopped short of confirming whether its members are fighting in Yemen.

According to al-Anba, Berri reiterated to his visitors that the dialogue between Hizbullah and al-Mustaqbal movement officials under his sponsorship in Ain el-Tineh will continue.

“To those who are claiming that the gap is increasing between al-Mustaqbal and Hizbullah, we say that the two sides have the right to expressed their conflicting opinions,” said Berri.

“But such converging viewpoints should be expressed more calmly,” he added.