By Timour Azhari

RIYADH (Reuters) -Saudi Arabia plans imminently to boost commercial ties with Lebanon after Lebanese authorities demonstrated "efficacy" in curbing drug smuggling to the kingdom over the past months, a senior Saudi official said on Thursday.

Ties between Riyadh and Beirut have been strained for years due to the power of Iran-backed Hezbollah over Lebanese political and security affairs, but the kingdom sees an opening after the group was severely weakened by war with Israel last year.

Easing controls on imports, banned for years by Saudi Arabia, would be a first tangible sign of improvement, although Riyadh still wants to see the weak central government of Lebanon disarm Hezbollah - a demand Hezbollah has so far rejected.

"We will take imminent steps to bolster........

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