The European Union on Monday removed six territories including Lebanon and the United States from its list of countries exempted from restrictions on non-essential travel during the coronavirus pandemic.

"Israel, Kosovo, Lebanon, Montenegro, the Republic of North Macedonia and the United States of America were removed from the list," a statement from the European Council said.

A blast rocked the al-Shami water heaters factory in Bourj al-Barajneh on Monday, the state-run National News Agency reported.

It added that the explosion left four people dead.

President Michel Aoun tweeted Monday on the fourth anniversary of the Army’s Victory in Fajr al-Jouroud battle that “this victory would not have been achieved without the martyrs who lost their lives to protect Lebanon.”

He added that the security coordination between all institutions had also contributed to the “detection and elimination of terrorist networks and cells throughout the country.”

Parliamentary sources in the Strong Lebanon bloc have rejected the accusation against the bloc's head Jebran Bassil of obstructing the formation of the government.

The sources restated, in remarks published Monday in the PSP's al-Anbaa news portal, that “Bassil has not interfered in any way in the formation process.”

Paris has urged PM-designate Najib Miqati to wait and not resign to allow it to resume its efforts with President Michel Aoun and his political camp to press them to facilitate his mission, a prominent parliamentary source said.

Many legal, technical and financial obstacles that had been hindering the agreement to import Egyptian gas to Lebanon have been removed, media reports said on Monday.

Sources asserted to al-Akhbar newspaper that “the agreement will also include the shipment of the imported gas to Al-Zahrani, which will lead to the operation of the two largest power plants in Lebanon.”

An Iranian fuel tanker is about to reach Lebanon and has become near the entrance of the Suez Canal, the Iranian Mehr news agency has reported.

The army commemorated its martyrs in a tweet Monday, on the fourth anniversary of Fajr al-Jouroud battle.

“We remember our righteous martyrs who transformed with their blood violated barren hills into an oasis,” the army said.

The situation in the southern towns of Maghdouche and Anqoun was "calm" on Monday after the army's intervention, MP Michel Moussa, who hails from Maghdouche, said.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Sunday criticized the "delay" in the port blast investigations.