Lebanon's political class, fuel companies and private electricity providers blocked an offer by gas-rich Qatar to build three renewable energy power plants to ease the crisis-hit nation's decades-old electricity crisis, Lebanon's caretaker economy minister said Thursday.

Lebanon's electricity crisis worsened after the country's historic economic meltdown began in October 2019. Power cuts often last for much of the day, leaving many reliant on expensive private generators that work on diesel and raise pollution levels.

Hezbollah targeted Thursday a group of soldiers in Mount Adir in northern Israel, while the Israeli army raided the southern border town of Hanine.

Hezbollah, a Hamas ally, has traded regular cross-border fire with Israel since the Palestinian militant group's October 7 attack on southern Israel which triggered war in the Gaza Strip.

Kataeb Party chief Sami Gemayel has said that Hezbollah is not willing to discuss the possibility of electing a “third” presidential candidate other than Suleiman Franjieh and Jihad Azour.

“They are still clinging to Franjieh,” Gemayel said in an interview on Tele Liban.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has warned that Hezbollah, with its incessant attacks on Israel, was pulling Lebanon into a “harsh reality” that would take its toll on the country’s residents.

During a visit to the Israeli army’s Northern Command, Gallant also presented photos and alleged details about senior Hezbollah commanders that Israel has killed during eight months of cross-border clashes since October 8.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said that Hezbollah and Amal are the ones who refused a third-man solution to the presidential crisis in Lebanon.

French President's Special Envoy to Lebanon Jean-Yves Le Drian had arrived Tuesday in Lebanon in a bid to break the presidential deadlock in the crisis-hit country.

U.S. Ambassador Lisa Johnson has attended the graduation from the American University of Beirut (AUB) of 76 scholars awarded U.S. government scholarships through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S. embassy in Beirut said in a statement.

"These academically gifted students represent a new generation of public and private sector leaders in Lebanon, many of whom might not otherwise be able to attend university amid Lebanon’s economic crisis," the statement said.

The second annual Ambassador For A Day competition has celebrated and demonstrated the potential of Lebanon’s youth by giving girls aged 15-18 the opportunity to shadow heads of diplomatic missions for one day.

UNIFIL on Wednesday marked the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, an annual event to honor the "commitment and sacrifice of women and men serving for peace around the world," a UNIFIL statement said.

On this day, UNIFIL normally hosts a gathering of peacekeepers; national, local, and religious officials; and members of the Lebanese Armed Forces and other security agencies at its Naqoura headquarters. "The mission did not hold an event today due to the security situation and the ongoing exchanges of fire in the south," UNIFIL said.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Wednesday called on the government to reverse its decision to pay LBP 93 billion in compensations to the southerners affected by Israel’s attacks.

“We are living the suffering of the south’s residents every day and we are daily living the plight of the destroyed villages, all because of a decision taken unilaterally by Hezbollah when it started military operations in the south under the excuse of supporting Gaza,” Geagea said in a statement.

Lebanon has issued arrest warrants in absentia for Paul Meouchi, who is in Sweden, Peter Naffah and a third person who is outside Lebanon over their involvement in the TikTok child molestation ring, a judicial source told Al-Arabiya television.

The judiciary also sent Red Notices to the Interpol for the suspects who are on the run due to the presence of many of them in several countries, the source added.