BEIRUT, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- The militant Lebanese Hezbollah has threatened to launch "surprise" street protests aimed at toppling Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's government, the Naharnet news website reported on Monday.

    Sheikh Naim Qassem, Deputy Secretary-General of the Shiite Muslim movement, made the warning in an interview with Hezbollah's Al-Manar television on Sunday evening, said Naharnet.

    "The timing of the populace (street) actions will be a surprise," Qassem was quoted as saying, adding that Hezbollah would not reveal details of their planned activities beforehand.

    "There is no specific time frame and no final plans. There is a basket of ideas... which we will use the way we see fit for achieving our goals," he cautioned, saying that would make the actions "more effective."

    Qassem's comments came one day after Lebanon's cabinet approved a plan for setting up an international tribunal to try suspects in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, overriding objections from Hezbollah and other pro-Syrian factions.

    Lebanon, long been divided between opponents and supporters of Syria, saw a political crisis blew up in full force following the resignation of six pro-Syrian ministers from Hezbollah and its allies, hours after all-party roundtable talks collapsed and the assassination of an anti-Syrian minister last week.

    The Shiite group and its pro-Syrian allies had been demanding a greater say in the anti-Syrian forces-dominated government led by Siniora. They have warned of street protests if the demand was not met.

    Hezbollah only shelved their plans of protests after Tuesday's assassination of Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel, an anti-Syria Christian leader.

    In renewing the threat, Qassem called on Siniora to resign, saying the government's meetings were "worthless and unconstitutional" because of the resignation of the six ministers while dismissing the cabinet's approval of the UN draft.

    The anti-Syrian ruling parliamentary majority led by Siniora has accused Hezbollah and Amal movement, the main pro-Syrian and pro-Iranian Shiite groups, of doing Damascus's and Tehran's bidding and seeking to undermine the formation of the tribunal.