President Michel Aoun is waiting to receive feedback from political leaders on his Monday speech before moving to the next step, ad-Diyar newpaper said Wednesday.

According to the newspaper, Aoun wanted to see the political forces’ reactions to take action accordingly and set a date for dialogue.

Lebanon is mired in an economic crisis branded by the World Bank as one of the worst in modern times, but officials are yet to strike an international bailout deal.

The financial meltdown began in 2019, and Lebanon defaulted on its debt last year.

Many well-off Lebanese who escaped their country's economic tailspin for a new life in the nearby island nation of Cyprus say the transition has been a whirlwind of emotions.

They are grateful they did not have to turn to human smugglers and embark on risky Mediterranean crossings to reach European shores. But they also feel guilty for leaving family and friends behind to struggle with Lebanon's unprecedented crises — a failing economy, political uncertainty and social upheaval.

Energy minister Walid Fayad has launched two projects in the country's north to facilitate the flow of natural gas from Egypt. The move aims to improve electricity production and expand the country's tanks to increase oil reserves.

The revival of the Arab Gas Pipeline to deliver Egyptian gas to Lebanon comes as the small country is reeling from a crippling electricity crisis. The pipeline has been out of service in Lebanon since before Syria's 10-year conflict began in 2011.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who was expecting a harsher attack from President Michel Aoun, had asked his officials not to hit back, Amal sources said.

The sources told al-Akhbar newspaper, in remarks published Tuesday, that Berri “prohibited” all officials in his movement from “starting arguments” with the Free Patriotic Movement, in response to Aoun’s speech.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati said Tuesday that his government's talks with the International Monetary Fund are inching closer to a "final formula" for a draft on an agreement before the end of February.

Najib Mikati said the Cabinet was doing "its homework" ahead of talks with the IMF in mid-January. An IMF delegation will visit Lebanon again in late January or early February to lay out "the final formula for the agreement with them and then we will announce to the Lebanese where we stand," Miqati said.

A blast rocked the outskirts of the Baalbek town of al-Nabi Sheet in Lebanon’s Eastern Mountain Range on Tuesday.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said the explosion resulted from the detonation of leftover ammunition near the Lebanese-Syrian border.

What softened an expected “explosive” presidential speech is a meeting that took place late Sunday between Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil and Hizbullah coordination official Wafiq Safa, sources said.

Informed sources told the PSP's al-Anbaa news portal, in remarks published Tuesday, that the meeting, that lasted till Monday morning, made President Michel Aoun’s criticism less harsh.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati said Tuesday that he has signed a decree calling for parliamentary elections to be held in May and has referred it to President Michel Aoun.

"I believe that the President will sign it too," Miqati added, at a press conference.

Hizbullah on Monday dismissed as "ridiculous" Saudi charges that it aids Yemen's Huthi rebels in launching strikes against the kingdom.

On Sunday, the spokesman of the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen said Huthi rebels were "militarizing" Sanaa airport and using it as a "main center for launching ballistic missiles and drones" towards the kingdom, with help from Iran and Hizbullah.