The draft closing statement of the Arab Summit that will be held today, Thursday in Manama will express support for “the Lebanese republic and its sovereignty, stability and territorial integrity.”
“We urge all Lebanese parties to give the priority to the election of a president, to strengthen the work of state institutions, to address the political and security challenges, and to implement the necessary economic reforms,” the draft statement says.

Lebanese state-run media said an Israeli strike on a car in the country's south on Thursday killed two people, with Hezbollah-affiliated rescuers saying at least one of them was a group member.
Israel and Hamas ally Hezbollah have exchanged near-daily fire since the Palestinian group's October 7 attack on southern Israel that sparked the war in Gaza, now in its eighth month.

Parliament convened Wednesday and approved a binding recommendation aimed at “returning the illegal Syrian migrants and residents in Lebanon to their country within a year at the latest.”
To this end, the legislature recommended that the government form a ministerial committee to “communicate and directly and strenuously follow up with the international and regional sides and the various bodies, especially with the Syrian government, and to devise a detailed timeframe for repatriating the displaced (Syrians), except for special cases protected by the Lebanese laws and specified by the committee.”

Hezbollah said it launched on Thursday "more than 60" rockets at Israeli military positions in retaliation for overnight air strikes.
Hezbollah fighters "launched a missile attack with more than 60 Katyusha rockets" on several Israeli military positions including in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, the group said in a statement.

Israeli jets raided areas in the Baalbek district overnight after Hezbollah launched multiple drones at a base near the Israeli city of Tiberias -- one of its deepest attacks into Israeli territory in months of cross-border fighting.
The airstrikes that occurred around midnight Wednesday struck the hills and mountains overlooking the town of Brital in northeast Lebanon close to the border with Syria. There was no word on casualties.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has stressed that “the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia stands by the Lebanese people.”
Speaking at a meeting for the Arab League council, the Saudi minister also called on the Lebanese parties to “put the public interest first through implementing political and economic reforms that lead to overcoming crises.”

Hezbollah targeted Wednesday two command centers in north Israel in response to an Israeli strike that reportedly killed a Hezbollah commander in south Lebanon.
Hezbollah said it attacked an air control command center in Meron with dozens of artillery shells and Katyusha and heavy rockets, and another command center in the Biranit barracks with heavy Burkan missiles.

Kataeb leader MP Sami Gemayel has accused Hezbollah of obstructing the return of Syrian refugees to their country, ahead of a parliament session that discussed Wednesday the refugee crisis ana a 1 billion euros EU donation to Lebanon.
"We urge (Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan) Nasrallah to open the land borders for the Syrians to return," Gemayel said, accusing Hezbollah of controlling the Lebanese-Syrian borders.

Parliament convened Wednesday to discuss the Syrian refugee crisis and the latest controversial EU aid package, with lawmakers from the entire political spectrum ramping up anti-refugee sentiment and calling for more refugee returns and crackdowns.
“Lebanon’s fate hinges on this session,” Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri warned at the beginning of the session.

Hezbollah Chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah met Wednesday with a delegation from Hamas headed by Khalil al Hayyeh along with Mohammad Nasr and Oussama Hamdan at an undisclosed location in Lebanon.
Nasrallah and the delegation discussed and evaluated the latest developments in Gaza and on the other "support fronts", a Hezbollah statement said.
