The Lebanese Forces accused Wednesday Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil of always obstructing the course of the state, after the latter strongly opposed the extension of the term of Army chief General Joseph Aoun, ahead of his planned retirement in January.

"Bassil is under the illusion that Lebanon is divided between those who support him and those who don't," the LF, which supports the extension of Aoun’s term, said in a statement, sarcastically adding that Bassil believes that there is a global conspiracy against him.

Hezbollah targeted Wednesday several Israeli posts including Malkia, Naqoura, Shumira, and Ramia after a calm morning in the border area in south Lebanon.

The Israeli army meanwhile struck several border towns including Jabal al-Bat, Aitaroun, Mhaibib, al-Labbouneh, al-Naqoura, al-Bustan, Merwahin, Ramia, al-Jebbayn, Yarine, Blida, Kfarshouba, al-Fardis, Rashaya al-Fokhar, al-Khiam and Maroun al-Rass with artillery shelling and warplane and drone missiles.

Israel has turned south Lebanon into a mailbox for sending messages to U.N. chief Antonio Guterres through its recurrent targeting of UNIFIL posts in south Lebanon, a prominent Lebanese political source said.

France on Tuesday said "all light" must be shed on the strike in southern Lebanon on October 13 that killed a Reuters journalist and injured six others, including two from AFP.

"All light must be shed on this tragedy," a French foreign ministry statement said, adding that international humanitarian law obliged warring parties to "protect civilians, and in particular journalists, who must be able to exercise their profession freely and in complete safety."

France's foreign minister Catherine Colonna will arrive Friday in Lebanon, al-Jadeed TV said Tuesday.

The TV station reported that Colonna will visit the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon in Naqoura on Saturday and will leave on the same day.

The Lebanese Forces on Tuesday noted that caretaker PM Najib Mikati’s call for a Cabinet session is “on the face of it aimed at extending General Joseph Aoun’s term but in reality aimed at blocking this extension.”

Change MP Najat Aoun is the most politically active representative in the Lebanese parliament, Gherbal Initiative -- a non-profit civil company that aims to make political data visually accessible to the public -- said in a report.

Five other Change MPs are within the top 10 in terms of political activity in submitting questions and inquiries to various governments, Gherbal Initiative said.

the Israeli artillery shelled Tuesday the outskirts of the southern Lebanese border towns of Aitaroun and Houla while empty areas between Beit Leef and Ramia were targeted by drones.

Hezbollah, for its part, targeted the Israeli posts of al-Raheb, Zariit, Khirbet Ma'ar and Malkia, and soldiers in the Jal al-Alam post. The attacks were direct hits and inflicted casualties, Hezbollah said.

The White House has expressed concern over reports that Israel used U.S.-supplied white phosphorus in attacks on Lebanon, adding that it was seeking more details about the allegations.

Lebanon accused Israel of repeatedly using the incendiary weapon in October, while the Washington Post on Monday said analysis of shell fragments from one attack showed the rounds were U.S.-made.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Monday said that Israel is open to reaching an agreement with Hezbollah if it includes a “safe zone” along the border and security guarantees.

Al-Arabiya TV and its Al-Hadath channel meanwhile quoted unnamed sources as saying that an agreement between Israel and Hezbollah might be “imminent.”