A dispute between Lebanon and Israel over their maritime boundary has heated up and sparked fears of conflict as both countries move to assert sovereignty over an area potentially rich in gas.

Tension rose last month after Israel's cabinet approved a map of the country's proposed maritime borders with Lebanon and submitted it to the United Nations, which has been asked to mediate.

France might decrease its presence in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) after the attack that targeted its contingents in the southern city of sidon, An Nahar newspaper reported on Wednesday.

Three French U.N. peacekeepers were wounded last week in a roadside bombing near Sidon, and another three suffered hearing problems.

UNIFIL is carrying out an impartial investigation into the shooting incident between the Lebanese and Israeli troops, spokesman Neeraj Singh said on Wednesday.

“The situation along the Blue Line is calm and under control,” he told pan-Arab daily al-Hayat.

General Prosecutor Saeed Mirza has reportedly informed Special Tribunal for Lebanon Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare that the Internal Security Forces weren’t able to find the four suspects named in the indictment in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri’s murder case.

Pan-Arab daily al-Hayat quoted informed sources as saying on Wednesday that Mirza handed to a delegation from Bellemare’s office in Beirut the response of the Lebanese judiciary.

Premier Najib Miqati’s cabinet appointed Ghassan Baidoun as director of the investment authority at the energy ministry based upon the recommendation of Minister Jebran Bassil.

An Nahar daily said Wednesday that Bassil recommended appointing Baidoun, who is not a civil servant, although both Hizbullah and Amal movement had other candidates.

Lebanon is facing a critical situation at the U.N. Security Council concerning the developments in Syria since it represents Arab countries especially if it had to object on the presidential statement of the Council.

A high-ranking source in the March 14-led opposition told An Nahar newspaper on Wednesday that “Lebanon’s behavior at the Security Council proves that the cabinet is still under the Syrian hegemony.”

Clashes between Hizbullah and Amal movement supporters in the southern town of Adeisseh were resolved after a meeting was held on Tuesday night between officials from the two Shiite parties.

Media reports said Wednesday that the clashes first erupted several days ago after a fistfight between youths.

The Israeli navy's intelligence chief has said that militant groups close to the Jewish state, including Hizbullah and Hamas, are in possession of missiles capable of hitting all Israeli ports and offshore infrastructure such as oil rigs.

Brigadier General Yaron Levi spoke about the matter on Tuesday at a conference in Tel Aviv University, said Israeli daily Haaretz.

An Israeli ten-member patrol entered 30 meters deep into Lebanese territories near the southern town of Mais al-Jabal 24 hours after a shooting incident between the two sides, pan-Arab daily al-Hayat reported Wednesday.

The newspaper said that the patrol crossed the technical fence and entered the area around 1:30 pm Tuesday. It stayed there for around half an hour after searching olive groves.

Dozens of supporters of Bashar al-Assad attacked a small rally against the Syrian president and his regime in Beirut on Tuesday, landing at least one protester in hospital, activists told Agence France Presse.

A security official told AFP there had been a clash outside the Syrian embassy in Beirut’s Hamra neighborhood between pro- and anti-Assad demonstrators on Tuesday evening but could not give further details.