The Lebanese army targeted on Thursday militant positions and their movement on the outskirts of the northeastern border town of Arsal.

The state-run National News Agency reported that troops used heavy artillery and rocket launchers to pound the posts of jihadists and their movement.

Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil reiterated on Thursday his call for parliament's adoption of a draft-law on giving the Lebanese nationality to expatriates.

During a speech at the conference Lebanese Diaspora Energy 2015, Bassil urged the expats to press for the approval of the draft-law.

The al-Qaida affiliate al-Nusra Front is allegedly mobilizing to storm the northeastern border town of Arsal within days as information revealed that U.S. drones are flying over the area to collect data on militants and assist the Lebanese army.

Sources close to the jihadist group said in comments published in al-Akhbar newspaper Thursday that the fighting raging in Syria's Qalamoun between the Islamic State group and Nusra Front will compel the latter to withdraw into Arsal “soon.”

The commander of the northern region in the Internal Security Forces Brigadier General Mahmoud Annan will reportedly succeed Brig. Gen. Elias Saadeh as acting Police chief.

According to As Safir newspaper published Thursday, the decision to appoint Annan was based on hierarchy at the ISF, a decision taken by the head of the institution Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Basbous.

General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim is expected to visit Istanbul this week to meet with Qatar's envoy who is mediating the release of Lebanese servicemen taken captive by jihadists, al-Mustaqbal newspaper reported on Thursday.

His trip would come after encouraging signs emerged following the meeting of the crisis cell on the fate of the soldiers and policemen who were taken hostage by al-Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front fighters from the northeastern border town of Arsal in August last year.

The March 14 General Secretariat criticized on Wednesday the initiative proposed by Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun aimed at ending the presidential deadlock, saying that it is a “coup against Lebanon's parliamentary democratic system.”

It said during its weekly meeting: “The only solution before Aoun is heading to parliament and electing a new president.”

Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq presented on Wednesday some of the changes that have been introduced to Roumieh Prison, the country's largest and most overcrowded facility.

He said during a press conference: “The renovated block B will be ready for the transfer of inmates in around 20 days.”

A Lebanese man was arrested on Wednesday at Beirut's Rafik Hariri International Airport for trying to smuggle drugs to Lebanon, the state-run National News Agency reported.

NNA said 22-year-old M.A. was apprehended for carrying with him 3.2 kilograms of cocaine.

Change and Reform lawmakers toured for the third day in a row parliamentary blocs to tackle Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun's initiative to end the lingering presidential crisis in Lebanon.

“Aoun's initiative is an opportunity that we should cease as it's a chance to end the deadlock,” MP Emile Rahme, who is loyal to Aoun, told reporters after meeting with Hizbullah's Loyalty to the Resistance bloc at its headquarters in Beirut's southern suburbs.

An artificial pond collapsed in a town in the district of Jbeil on Wednesday, causing material damages, the state-run National News Agency and the village's municipal chief said.

NNA said the accident triggered a landslide that blocked Akoura's main road and caused damages to crops.