Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz has met with his Italian counterpart Antonio Tajani in Jerusalem and asked for Rome’s assistance in finding a diplomatic solution to Hezbollah’s presence on Israel’s northern border.

The ambassadors of the five-nation group for Lebanon, who met Thursday at the Saudi envoy’s residence, have devised a roadmap for their meetings with Lebanese officials and leaders in a bid to re-activate the presidential election file, media reports said.

Former Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat walked back Friday a statement he had previously made, in which he described a March 14 slogan as ridiculous.

In an interview with al-Akhbar, Jumblat said "time has changed since the days when we raised the ridiculous 'Lebanon First' (Loubnan Awwalan) slogan at the time of the so-called March 14 Alliance."

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has spoken with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to resolve tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border and to avoid regional escalation.

"Secretary Austin reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to the pursuit of diplomacy to resolve tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border and the shared goal of avoiding regional escalation," the U.S. Department of Defense said Thursday in a statement.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea slammed again Hezbollah in a televised interview, as he accused the group of worsening the situation instead of helping in reaching a solution to ease the tension in the region.

Since the outbreak of war between Hamas and Israel on October 7, the Lebanese-Israeli border has witnessed a near-daily exchange of fire between Israel's army and Hezbollah. At least 202 people have been killed in south Lebanon, 147 of them belonging to Hezbollah. At least 26 civilians have also been killed, including three journalists and two rescuers in addition to a Lebanese soldier.

Hezbollah targeted Friday a group of Israeli soldiers near the Hunin Castle in Margaliot and the Ma'ale Golani post as Israeli artillery shelled several border towns.

Earlier on Friday, an Iron Dome interception missile exploded over al-Naqoura and artillery shells hit the southern border towns of Houla, Kfarkila, Mays al-Jabal and Wadi Hamoul.

The five-nation group for Lebanon is preparing a “new initiative” that it will propose soon in a bid to break the presidential deadlock in Lebanon, “credible” sources told al-Joumhouria newspaper.

As the Paris spring couture shows entered their third day, Jennifer Lopez ensured that the power of runway designs was matched by the power of a VIP audience. The singer and actress energized the Palais de Tokyo, arriving at the last minute for Elie Saab's show amid pandemonium. She and other fashion insiders witnessed a silken display of the Lebanese designer's work evoking the complexity of North African medinas.

Haute couture — the Paris fashion industry's ideas factory — is the age-old tradition of producing exorbitantly priced, made-to-measure garments for the world's richest women.

Hezbollah attacked Thursday several Israeli targets including air defense systems and posts in northern Israel while Israeli drones carried out airstrikes deep inside Lebanon.

Hezbollah said it has attacked with two suicide drones an air defense site and Iron Dome launchpads near the settlement of Kfar Blum and Israeli drones and warplanes later bombed the Hanine Mountain area in al-Bazouriyeh near Tyre and the Jabbour heights in the Jezzine district.

Lebanese authorities and political officials are awaiting the full results of French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu’s recent visit to Tel Aviv, at a time the U.S. has sent messages to Lebanon through an Arab mediator, media reports said.