Saudi Arabia said on Monday that it "won't bear any responsibility" for a shortage in global oil supplies after a fierce barrage of attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels affected production in the kingdom, the world's largest oil exporter.

The unusually stark warning marked a departure from the giant oil producer's typically cautious statements, as Saudi officials remain aware that even their smallest comments can swing the price of oil and rattle global markets.

Yemen's Houthi rebels unleashed a barrage of drone and missile strikes on Saudi Arabia that targeted key facilities including natural gas and desalination plants early Sunday, Saudi state-run media reported, temporarily reducing oil production at one site in the latest escalation as peace talks stall and the war in Yemen rages into its eighth year.

The attacks did not cause casualties, the Saudi-led military coalition fighting in Yemen said, but damaged civilian vehicles and homes in the area. A Saudi energy official later acknowledged that a drone strike targeting the Yanbu Aramco Sinopec Refining Company on the Red Sea coast caused "a temporary reduction in the refinery's production."

President Michel Aoun on Friday denied any role for the Presidency in the judicial measures that have been taken against a number of banks in recent days.

“The media campaigns that escalated over the past two days, which tried to allege a role for the Presidency in the judicial measures that have been taken against several banks, are the epitome of falsification, unjust accusations and disinformation,” Aoun said.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati held a meeting Friday at the Grand Serail with Justice Minister Henri Khoury, amid unprecedented measures by some judges against a number of commercial banks.

The Association of Banks in Lebanon confirmed Friday evening that all Lebanese banks will stage a two-day strike on Monday and Tuesday in protest at the latest judicial measures against the country's biggest banks.

"This is a first step aimed at cautioning and raising awareness about the dangerousness of the current situations," ABL said in a statement, demanding "the rectification of the current irregularity, the issuance of the capital control law as soon as possible, and the approval and implementation of a recovery plan."

NAHNOO, a Lebanese non-governmental organization, launched Friday in collaboration with the U.N. Information Center in Beirut (UNIC Beirut), a campaign titled “Our Crafts, Our Identity,” to advocate for the ratification of a law that organizes and develops the crafts sector in Lebanon in line with the market needs.

The campaign will be promoted on social media and local TV stations. It aims at advocating for a legal framework for the Lebanese crafts sector to ensure much-needed economic, social, and cultural protection for craftsmen and craftswomen. It also falls within the framework of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that Lebanon is working on achieving, particularly SDGs 8 and 9 on promoting decent work, sustainable industrialization and innovation.

The IMF will send staff to Lebanon and Tunisia this month to further discussions on new financial aid programs for the countries, a fund spokesman said Thursday.

The tw governments have been seeking support for their troubled economies for months but have yet to reach agreements with the Washington-based crisis lender.

Myanmar's junta has approved the sale of Norwegian telecoms giant Telenor's Myanmar subsidiary to Lebanese conglomerate M1 Group, both companies said on Friday, in a move activist groups warn could put sensitive customer data in the hands of Myanmar's military.

Canada on Thursday unveiled fresh sanctions against 22 Belarus defense department officials for allowing Russia to launch attacks on Ukraine from its territory.

The announcement, Canada's foreign ministry said in a statement, "sends a clear message to President Putin's accomplices: those who support violations of Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence will be held accountable."

President Joe Biden will speak Friday with Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss ongoing economic competition between the two countries and Russia's war against Ukraine.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki announced the upcoming phone call in a Thursday statement that said it's "part of our ongoing efforts to maintain open lines of communication" between the United States and China.