Hizbullah is expected to announce on Thursday its stance on Lebanon joining the Islamic alliance that was declared by Saudi Arabia earlier this week, reported An Nahar daily on Wednesday.

Sources close to the party told the daily: “The prime minister cannot take such a major decision without turning to cabinet first.”

Saudi Arabia announced on Tuesday the formation of a coalition of Arab and Muslim countries aimed at fighting terrorism.

Lebanon is among the 34 countries in the alliance.

Saudi Arabia announced Tuesday the formation of a military coalition of 34 countries to fight "terrorism" in the Islamic world, in the latest sign of a more assertive foreign policy by the kingdom.

The regional Sunni power said the alliance would share intelligence, combat violent ideology and deploy troops if necessary.

Saudi Arabia on Monday mobilized counter-insurgency units on its border with Yemen, official media said, after rebel strikes into the kingdom killed more than 80 people this year.

The decision to activate the four interior ministry regiments "specializing in guerrilla warfare" comes on the eve of a possible ceasefire and United Nations-brokered peace talks in Switzerland Tuesday.

At least 20 women won seats for the first time in Saudi Arabia's municipal polls, the elections commission said on Monday.

"The number of women winners until now has reached 20," Gadei al-Qahtani, the commission spokesman, told AFP.

A top Saudi commander and an Emirati officer were killed in Yemen Monday during Arab coalition operations against Iran-backed rebels, the Riyadh-led alliance said.

Saudi Colonel Abdullah al-Sahyan and Emirati officer Sultan al-Kitbi were killed at dawn on Monday "while they were carrying out their duties in supervising operations to liberate Taez" province in Yemen's southwest, the official SPA news agency said.

The United States on Sunday welcomed Saudi Arabia's first ever election open to female voters and candidates, calling it a historic milestone.

At least 14 women won municipal council seats in Saturday's poll, far exceeding expectations in the ultra-conservative kingdom.

At least 13 women won municipal council seats in Saudi Arabia's first ever election open to female voters and candidates, officials said Sunday, far exceeding expectations in the ultra-conservative kingdom.

"Even if it was only one woman, we're really proud of that. Honestly, we weren't expecting anyone to win," said Sahar Hassan Nasief, a women's rights activist in the Red Sea city of Jeddah.

Amnesty International said Friday that a Saudi-led coalition had bombed schools in Yemen, violating international humanitarian law and denying access to education for thousands of children.

The London-based rights group called on "all states who supply arms to the Saudi Arabia-led coalition, including the USA and UK, to suspend all transfers of weapons which are being used to commit violations of international law".

Speaker Nabih Berri received on Friday an invitation to visit Saudi Arabia, but he is unlikely to head to the kingdom “any time soon”, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Friday.

At the moment, the speaker does not have any trips on his agenda, except two to Iran and one to Iraq.