The emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, arrived unexpectedly in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday for talks on regional issues with King Abdullah, Al-Arabiya television said.

The Saudi-owned news channel said the Qatari leader was in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah, "to discuss developments in the region".

The Qatar-backed head of the Syrian opposition's interim government was sacked Tuesday, under pressure from Saudi Arabia, once again exposing the sharp divisions between the opposition's main backers.

Since the National Coalition was created in late 2012, rivalries between Riyadh and Doha have consistently undermined the group, which acts as the main opposition body.

Abu Dhabi has accused the Al-Jazeera TV channel and websites close to Qatar of "fabricating" information suggesting UAE supported Israel's operation in Gaza, in the latest tensions between both countries.

Relations between Qatar and its Gulf neighbours Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain sank to a new low in March when the three governments withdrew their ambassadors from Doha, accusing it of meddling in their affairs and supporting the Muslim Brotherhood.

Al-Qaida in Yemen has said that its attack on a Saudi border point earlier this month was in revenge for providing U.S. drones with "land and sky" to target militants, SITE Intelligence said.

Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula had already claimed responsibility for the July 5 operation in which six militants, and five officers on the two sides of the border were killed.

Turkey is seeking to host a conference for Muslim scholars in Istanbul during the upcoming days to reject extremism and violence and to safeguard Islam against the so-called "caliphate" that was declared by Sunni militants in Iraq and Syria.

A Turkish envoy held talks with several Muslim scholars and clerics in Beirut to invite them to attend a conference in Istanbul between July 17 and 19, As Safir newspaper reported on Tuesday.

The political crises gripping the state is awaiting the stance of al-Mustaqbal movement chief Saad Hariri to restore activity in the parliament and at the cabinet.

According to al-Joumhouria newspaper published on Tuesday, Hariri will make a televised speech on Friday during an iftar hosted by al-Mustaqbal.

Saudi Arabia has pledged 200 million riyals ($53.3 million) in humanitarian aid for the victims of the Israeli offensive against Gaza which has killed more than 170 people.

The funds will pay for medicine and medical equipment to treat "victims of the brutal Israeli aggression and bombing of the Gaza Strip," Finance Minister Ibrahim al-Assaf said late Sunday. 

A delegation from al-Mustaqbal movement headed to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia for consultations with head of the movement former premier Saad Hariri.

The delegation will discuss with Hariri the latest developments and the stance from a possible cabinet session on Thursday, An Nahar newspaper reported on Monday.

Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awadh Asiri revealed on Sunday that the body of the Duroy Hotel bomber was buried in al-Qassim Province in the kingdom, while his accomplice is "in good health."

“The body of Ali Ibrahim al-Thwaini was handed over to his family in al-Qassim province (in Saudi Arabia) where he was buried on Friday,” Asiri said in comments published in the Saudi daily Okaz.

Six al-Qaida militants who attacked a Saudi border point with Yemen last week killing five security officers on both sides were all Saudi nationals, the Saudi interior ministry said Tuesday.

Five of the gunmen were killed in the confrontation with security forces, including two who blew themselves up, while a sixth was wounded and arrested.