Embattled Information Minister George Kordahi on Saturday visited Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi in Bkirki and left without making a statement, amid a diplomatic storm sparked by his remarks on Yemen’s war.

An Israeli missile strike killed five pro-Iran militiamen near Damascus on Saturday, a war monitor said, while state media said two Syrian soldiers were wounded in the attack.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strike "destroyed a Hizbullah and Iranian weapons and ammunition" convoy heading towards Lebanon.

The United Arab Emirates said Saturday that it would withdraw its diplomats from Lebanon in solidarity with Saudi Arabia.

It also said Emiratis would be "prevented" from traveling to Lebanon. Travel bans have happened previously to Lebanon over politics in the past.

Marada Movement chief Suleiman Franjieh on Saturday defended Information Minister Georges Kordahi after KSA, Kuwait and Bahrain expelled the Lebanese ambassadors in protest at his remarks over the Yemen war.

Arab League chief Ahmed Abul Gheit on Saturday expressed concerns about the deterioration in ties between Lebanon and several Gulf countries over statements made by Information Minister George Kordahi.

Abul Gheit said the crisis caused by Kordahi's comments has led to a "great setback" to Lebanon's relationship with the Gulf countries.

Kuwait has recalled its ambassador from Beirut and has given the Lebanese envoy 48 hours to leave the emirate, the Kuwaiti foreign ministry said Saturday, quoted by state news agency KUNA.

Washington and Paris have contacted Prime Minister Najib Miqati in the wake of the diplomatic crisis with KSA to urge him "not to resign," media reports said on Saturday.

Five Lebanese ministers and Presidency secretary general Antoine Choucair on Saturday held a crisis cell meeting over the diplomatic crisis with Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries.

The meeting was held at the Foreign Ministry at Prime Minister Najib Miqati’s request.

Bahrain has ordered the Lebanese ambassador to the kingdom to leave the country within 48 hours, shortly after Saudi Arabia made a similar move and halted Lebanese imports in response to Information Minister Georges Kordahi’s remarks about Yemen’s war.

President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister Najib Miqati meanwhile discussed the Saudi decision and asked Kordahi to take the "appropriate decision," an apparent call for him to resign in hopes it will ease the tension.

UNIFIL's Head of Mission and Force Commander, Major General Stefano Del Col, on Friday welcomed Lebanon's new Minister of National Defense, Maurice Slim, to the peacekeeping mission's headquarters in Naqoura, South Lebanon.

In his remarks, Major General Del Col announced a donation of 500 kilograms of medicines to the Lebanese Army, in accordance with support requested for the army in operative paragraph 11 of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2591.