Government deal struck in Lebanon 

Lebanon's opposition, including Iranian-backed Hezbollah, has agreed to join a national unity government proposed by Prime Minister-designate Saad al-Hariri, according to a senior opposition source.

"The Lebanese opposition has approved the proposed unity government," the source said after opposition leaders held a late-night meeting.

The source said the opposition would officially inform Hariri of its decision on Saturday and expected the new government to be formed in the coming two days.

Hariri, who is backed by the United States and Saudi Arabia, was nominated as prime minister-designate after he led his anti-Syrian coalition to victory in parliamentary election in June.

He spent more than four months trying to broker a deal with the opposition to join a unity cabinet.

A warming of ties between the two sides' main backers Syria and Saudi Arabia in recent weeks helped ease the rift in Beirut and led eventually to the breakthrough.

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