U.S.-sponsored military meetings between Lebanon and Israel began yesterday in Tampa, Florida, and will continue today under U.S. auspices.

The aim is to discuss the necessary practical steps to implement security arrangements, at a time when disagreements persist over several issues -- most notably the mechanisms for monitoring commitments and the entity that will be tasked with verifying their implementation.

Cabinet will hold a session at 3:00 PM Thursday at the Presidential Palace to discuss a number of vital issues covering financial, judicial and administrative matters.

The agenda also includes a request from the Ministry of Justice to refer the case of explosives seized in Dahr al-Baidar, as well as those seized in the al-Qasr area, to the Judicial Council – the country’s highest criminal court that deals with national security issues.

Speaker Nabih Berri has stressed that "stability and protecting the country are everyone's responsibility," calling on "all parties" to stop everything that would increase tension and deepen internal divisions.

Commenting on recent sectarian tensions, he told al-Akhbar newspaper: "Is it reasonable for matters to reach the point of preventing a Lebanese from buying property in a Lebanese region because of his sectarian background?"

President Joseph Aoun warned Wednesday that “the trajectory of wars always differs from what both sides expect,” cautioning that “war can only end through negotiation and dialogue, whereas its continuation leads to further destruction, casualties and bloodshed.”

"The primary objective of negotiations is to achieve the Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories, secure the release of captives, ensure the return of displaced persons, rebuild, and deploy the army across all Lebanese territory. There is no disagreement in Lebanon regarding these goals; rather, the difference lies in the approach and method of achieving them,” the president said during a meeting in Baabda with a delegation from the Synod of the Greek Orthodox Church, led by Patriarch John X Yazigi.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel is “committed” to bringing down the Iranian regime, which will in turn topple Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Speaking at the newly-built Tel Hai University in Kiryat Shmona, next to the Lebanese border, Netanyahu said while the Israeli army has made major progress in pushing back Hezbollah, he is “committed to finishing the job.”

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that his country will organize a conference to support the Lebanese Army after the Israeli elections this month, as truce talks between the two sides stall.

"We will also coordinate to carry out this work of support for the Lebanese armed forces and a conference will be set up in the coming weeks by France... I think it is useless to do it before the Israeli elections, but we will organize such a conference because it is unavoidable," he told reporters in Qatar.

The Lebanese Army has accused the Israeli army of voicing “false claims” regarding the Lebanese military's operations in the area south of the Litani River in an attempt to “cast doubt on its ability to carry out its assigned tasks.”

Israeli Army Arabic-language spokesperson Lt. Col. Ella Waweya had released footage on Tuesday on the X platform allegedly showing Hezbollah operatives loading weapons onto a truck in order to move them from a site in the southern town of Kafra. She accused the Lebanese Army of failing to clear south Lebanon of Hezbollah's arms and of coordinating with Hezbollah to help them move their weapons out of the Kafra site.

President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam have asked the army and security agencies to “prepare for military and security-related operations in Dahieh, Beirut, the Bekaa and the South” targeting Hezbollah, the pro-Hezbollah al-Akhbar newspaper reported on Tuesday.

“Information began leaking about intentions to raid apartments and warehouses in Dahieh. These developments prompted Hezbollah to act quickly, informing security and military authorities that while it understands they are carrying out orders issued by the political leadership, it warned that automatic execution of such directives could lead to an internal confrontation,” the daily said.

Following the uproar regarding Hezbollah allegedly receiving $200 million from Iran, a pro-Hezbollah daily quoted local, Arab and international security agencies as saying that “that the actual figure far exceeds that amount.”

“The (displaced) support plan detailed by the Chairman of Hezbollah's Executive Council, Sheikh Ali Daamoush, is backed by funding estimated at around $600 million,” al-Akhbar newspaper reported on Tuesday.

A Lebanese judge on Tuesday ordered two Hezbollah officials to appear for questioning over their alleged involvement in a delivery of explosives seized by authorities this month, a judicial official told AFP.

Lebanese authorities had been carrying out investigations after arresting two suspected Hezbollah members accused of transporting half a ton of explosives, which the Iran-backed group subsequently said were part of its "capabilities" to be used against Israel.