Lebanese government effectively collapses

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri has cut short his visit to the United States to fly home amid a domestic crisis.

Eleven ministers have now resigned, effectively collapsing the government.

Ministers from Hezbollah and its allies took the steps before expected indictments against the Shia group over the killing of Hariri's father in 2005.

The militant group has denied an role in the death of Rafik al-Hariri and attacked the UN backed tribunal as an "Israeli project".

The group wants the current Prime Minister to renounce it but he has resisted the demands.

Mr Hariri drove to Dulles international airport immediately after talks with US President Barack Obama at the White House

He has flown back to Beirut, cutting short his trip to the US, in response to the coalition crisis and is expected to meet President Suleiman on his arrival to discuss the matter.

The ministers resigned as Mr Hariri was meeting US President Barack Obama in Washington.

Stalemate over the tribunal has crippled Mr Hariri 14-month-old "unity" government. The cabinet has met, briefly, just once in the last two months and the government could not secure parliamentary approval for the 2010 budget.

Tensions over the tribunal have exacerbated existing rifts between Hariri, who is supported by Western powers and Saudi Arabia, and Hezbollah, backed by Iran and Syria.