France's foreign minister Catherine Colonna will arrive Friday in Lebanon, al-Jadeed TV said Tuesday.

The TV station reported that Colonna will visit the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon in Naqoura on Saturday and will leave on the same day.

The Lebanese Forces on Tuesday noted that caretaker PM Najib Mikati’s call for a Cabinet session is “on the face of it aimed at extending General Joseph Aoun’s term but in reality aimed at blocking this extension.”

Change MP Najat Aoun is the most politically active representative in the Lebanese parliament, Gherbal Initiative -- a non-profit civil company that aims to make political data visually accessible to the public -- said in a report.

Five other Change MPs are within the top 10 in terms of political activity in submitting questions and inquiries to various governments, Gherbal Initiative said.

the Israeli artillery shelled Tuesday the outskirts of the southern Lebanese border towns of Aitaroun and Houla while empty areas between Beit Leef and Ramia were targeted by drones.

Hezbollah, for its part, targeted the Israeli posts of al-Raheb, Zariit, Khirbet Ma'ar and Malkia, and soldiers in the Jal al-Alam post. The attacks were direct hits and inflicted casualties, Hezbollah said.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Monday said that Israel is open to reaching an agreement with Hezbollah if it includes a “safe zone” along the border and security guarantees.

Al-Arabiya TV and its Al-Hadath channel meanwhile quoted unnamed sources as saying that an agreement between Israel and Hezbollah might be “imminent.”

The head of Hezbollah’s executive council, Sayyed Hashem Safieddine, on Monday hinted that his powerful Iran-backed group does not want to expand the current border confrontations with Israel.

An Israeli minister on Monday issued a fresh threat against Hezbollah, which has been engaged in daily border skirmishes with Israel since the eruption of the Israel-Hamas war in October.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has noted that his Amal Movement is not involved in the ongoing confrontations in south Lebanon and that he is “personally seeking to prevent an expansion of the war.”

Israel shelled Monday the outskirts of the southern Lebanese border towns of Fardis, Rashaya al-Fokhar, Aitaroun, Yarine, Merwahine, al-Jebbayn, Shihine and al-Naqoura.

Hezbollah, for its part, targeted a group of soldiers in al-Semmaqa in the occupied Shebaa Farms. The attack was a direct hit and inflicted casualties, Hezbollah said.

Public institutions were closed Monday in Lebanon amid a general strike in solidarity with Gaza and south Lebanon.

Banks including the central bank, public and private schools, universities, and archaeological sites were also closed.