The UAE has called on its citizens in Lebanon to immediately return home, a day after recalling its diplomats from Beirut over remarks by Information Minister George Kordahi on the Yemen war.

"In light of current events... the foreign ministry calls on all its citizens in Lebanon to return to the UAE as soon as possible," it said in a statement.

Yemen's Huthi rebels put up posters in support of Information Minister George Kordahi whose criticism of the Saudi-led war in Yemen sparked a diplomatic row between Lebanon and Gulf states.

Saudi Arabia has expelled Lebanon's envoy and recalled its ambassador from Beirut, with Bahrain and Kuwait following suit. The UAE later recalled its diplomats from Lebanon in "solidarity" with the kingdom.

The diplomatic row between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia is aggravating divisions in Lebanon, already reeling from an economic meltdown and social tension.

Some are pushing for the resignation of the Cabinet minister whose comments sparked the crisis, in order to protect economic and political ties with the Gulf. Others are defending him, describing calls for his removal as extortion.

Information Minister George Kordahi on Sunday stressed that he will not resign despite the growing diplomatic crisis with Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries.

In remarks to al-Jadeed television, Kordahi emphasized that such a move is "out of the question."

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Sunday noted that “the crisis with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in particular and the Arab Gulf nations in general has multiple and accumulating reasons.”

Financially crippled Lebanon finds itself in a new tug-of-war between regional kingpins Saudi Arabia and Iran after Riyadh and other wealthy Gulf states expelled the Lebanese envoy, analysts say.

The crisis erupted Friday when Saudi Arabia gave Lebanon's ambassador 48 hours to leave the country, recalled its envoy from Beirut and suspended all imports from Lebanon.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has blamed his country’s row with Lebanon on Hizbullah and Iran's "dominance" over Lebanese politics.

"There is no crisis with Lebanon but a crisis in Lebanon because of Iranian dominance," he told Al-Arabiya television, adding: "Hizbullah's dominance of the political system in Lebanon worries us." 

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.