Spotlight
The Lebanese Forces said Wednesday that Hezbollah must legitimize all its institutions, including the al-Qard al-Hassan financial institution, amid reports that Hezbollah will reopen its branches after being hit by Israeli airstrikes.
The Israeli army had targeted during more than 13 months of war in Lebanon branches of al-Qard al-Hassan in south and east Lebanon, and in Beirut and it's suburbs.

A U.S.-led committee that is supposed to monitor the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel will hold its first meeting Friday, an informed source told local al-Joumhouria newspaper.
The committee also includes France, the U.N. peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL), Lebanon, and Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday vowed to “restore peace and security” to northern Israel, at the beginning of a special, post-war government meeting in the northern city of Nahariya.

A U.S. military delegation inspected UNIFIL’s headquarters in Naqoura yesterday and met with the UNIFIL commander, al-Jadeed television reported on Tuesday.

An Israeli drone strike killed a shepherd Tuesday on the outskirts of the southern border town of Shebaa, as Israel continue its violation of the ceasefire agreement.

The opposition follow-up committee met in Maarab on Tuesday and said it will “intensify efforts and contacts with all parliamentary blocs in a bid to agree on a (presidential) candidate enjoying the broadest support, while insisting on the characteristics needed for the phase of building the state.”

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Tuesday said that “diplomatic contacts are ongoing and were intensified yesterday to halt the Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement and secure withdrawal from Lebanese border towns.”
“We stressed during these contacts the priority of stabilizing the situations so that the displaced can return to their towns and areas and the army’s deployment in the south can be expanded,” Mikati told his visitors.

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil on Tuesday called on the Lebanese to agree on a new president and "distance Lebanon from wars and conflicts."
"We have started political efforts from Dar al-Fatwa and we're concerned with talking to everyone," Bassil said after meeting with Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Daryan.

Lebanese and Israeli officials have reiterated their commitment to the ceasefire agreement despite Monday's flare-up and Israel's numerous violations, informed U.S. sources said.
"The ceasefire monitoring team has arrived in Lebanon to begin its work," the sources told Al-Jazeera, adding that Washington is working with France, Lebanon and Israel to resolve any issue through the ceasefire mechanism.

Israel and Lebanon both told the White House on Monday that despite the recent flare-ups on the border they are committed to the ceasefire agreement and want it to continue, sources with knowledge of the issue told U.S. news portal Axios.
The Biden administration has been concerned the fragile ceasefire in Lebanon could unravel after Israel and Hezbollah exchanged fire in recent days, U.S. officials said.
