Kataeb Party leader Amin Gemayel has reiterated that the most important form of legislation is parliament's election of a new head of state, blaming the presidential vacuum for the extension of the lawmakers' mandate.

“The first necessary legislation lies in the election of a president,” Gemayel said during a visit to Paris.

When Islamic State militants retreated from the embattled town of Jurf al-Sakher last week, the Iraqi military was quick to flaunt a rare victory against the extremist group, with state television showing tanks and Humvees parading through the town and soldiers touring government buildings that had been occupied by the militants since August.

However, photos soon emerged on independent Iraqi news websites revealing a more discrete presence — the powerful Iranian general Ghasem Soleimani — whose name has become synonymous with the handful of victories attributed to Iraqi ground forces. Local commanders said Hizbullah was also on the front lines.

A 24-year-old Lebanese has given birth to premature quintuplets in the southern city of Tyre, the state-run National News Agency reported on Wednesday.

Aya Jameel Haidar had quintuplets – three girls and two boys – at the Hospital of Jabal Amel in Tyre, NNA said.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi held talks on Wednesday with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abott, lashing out at the extension of the parliament's term.

“Simply, the extension of the tenure in democratic systems is illegal and unconstitutional,” al-Rahi stated as lawmakers are set to extend their term.

The emir of the al-Qaida affiliate al-Nusra Front, Abu Mohammed al-Joulani, announced that the battle with Hizbullah in Lebanon didn't begin yet, vowing surprises along the Lebanese-Syrian border.

“Our brothers in al-Qalamoun region have many surprises... The real battle in Lebanon didn't start yet,” al-Joulani said in an audio message distributed online on Tuesday night.

The army opened fire overnight Tuesday at gunmen who tried to infiltrate into Lebanese territories through the northeastern border, media reports said.

Armed men reportedly targeted army posts in the northeastern border town of Arsal, compelling soldiers to retaliate by opening fire and forcing them to retreat, using light and medium weapons.

Saudi Ambassador Ali Awadh Asiri said King Abdullah was keen on preserving the security and stability of Lebanon, stressing that Riyadh's military aid is aimed at helping the country confront terrorists.

Asiri made his remark as France and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement on Tuesday for Paris to provide the Lebanese army with $3 billion worth of weapons paid for by Riyadh.

Israel's Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz has warned that Israel would return Lebanon to the stone age if Hizbullah attacked the Jewish State.

“In order to avoid any doubt on the matter, (Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan) Nasrallah the cowardly braggart should know this: that option does not exist for us!,” Katz wrote on his facebook page, according to Israeli media.

A member of the Arab Democratic Party was arrested by the army on Tuesday as he was trying to cross from the northern district of Akkar into neighboring Syria, state-run National News Agency reported.

“The army arrested at one of its checkpoints in Akkar a man identified as A. Kh. as he was trying to cross into Syria,” NNA said.

The Kataeb Party on Tuesday announced its boycott of a legislative session scheduled for Wednesday, in which the majority of MPs are likely to vote in favor of another extension of the parliament's term.

“Kataeb's political bureau stresses its rejection of extending the parliament's term and it has decided to boycott the parliamentary session that has this item on its agenda,” the politburo announced after an extraordinary meeting, in a statement recited by Labor Minister Sejaan Qazzi.