BEIRUT - Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati told Reuters that Thursday's events were a setback to the government but would be overcome.

"Lebanon is going through a difficult phase not an easy one. We are like a patient in front of the emergency room," Mikati said in an interview.

"We have a lot of stages after that to complete recovery."

(Reporting by Maha El Dahan and Laila Bassam Editing by Chris Reese)