BEIRUT (Reuters) - A former Lebanese minister who is close to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was released on bail on Thursday after serving a jail term for smuggling explosives into Lebanon from Syria and planning attacks, the national news agency said.

Former Information Minister Michel Samaha was sentenced to 4-1/2 years in prison in May, having been detained since August 2012.

A court released him on bail on Thursday secured by 150 million Lebanese pounds (£69,401).

The decision to release him drew criticism from Assad's opponents in Lebanon including former Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri.

"Regardless of the reasons behind the court's decision to release Samaha, it (remains) a decision to release a criminal who is involved in one of the dirtiest crimes against Lebanon," Hariri said in a statement.

  Lebanese anti-government protesters clash with policemen outside the Environment Ministry in support of activists who were detained after staging a sit-in …

  Lebanese anti-government protesters clash with policemen outside the Environment Ministry in support of activists who were detained after staging a sit-in …

Pamela Engel

Iran is holding 10 American sailors after two US Navy riverine patrol boats drifted into Iranian waters, and US officials are trying to reassure the public that the sailors are safe and will be released shortly.

The ships were reportedly near Iran's Farsi Island to refuel. A senior US administration official told CNN's Jim Sciutto that there's nothing to indicate anything hostile on the part of Iran. Administration officials also reportedly said that releasing the sailors at night would be "unsafe."

But Iran's actions seem intentionally provocative to some experts. Jonathan Schanzer, vice president for research at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, told Business Insider that it's another example of Iran "pushing the limits" with the US.