The term of embattled three-decade chief Riad Salameh ends this month with no successor in sight, setting the stage for a leadership crisis at the central bank nearly four years into Lebanon's severe economic meltdown.

Lebanon since last year has been governed by a caretaker cabinet with limited powers and without a president, and naming a high official could take months of political horse-trading.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has threatened to respond to any “violation” of Israel’s “sovereignty,” hours after Israel shelled open areas in south Lebanon in response to mortar fire.

Amal MP Ali Hassan Khalil has called on behalf of Amal and Speaker Nabih Berri for the publishing of an audit report submitted by the Alvarez & Marsal international auditing firm.

The Finance Ministry had denied last week accusations that it had “hidden” the forensic audit report.

The Central Bank’s four vice governors – Wassim Mansouri, Bashir Yakzan, Salim Chahine and Alexander Mouradian – on Thursday stressed “the need to appoint a governor as soon as possible as per Article 18 of the Money and Credit Code,” warning that they would “take the appropriate measure” in the absence of that.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati called Thursday anew for the election of a president in order to put an end to the "sectarian exploitation" of the presidential vacuum.

The Free Patriotic Movement ministers have been boycotting the caretaker cabinet sessions, claiming that cabinet can not convene without a president.

The Israeli army said Thursday it was conducting strikes on southern Lebanon after a mortar launched from its northern neighbor exploded in the border area between the two foes.

The latest military action was launched three months after the two countries saw their worst cross-border fire in years.

French Ambassador Anne Grillo is holding talks with all political forces in Lebanon and will prepare next week for French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian's visit to the crisis-hit country, a local media report said.

Ad-Diyar newspaper also claimed Wednesday that the relation between France and Hezbollah has not been severed.

Hezbollah MP Mohammad Raad said Wednesday that his bloc is taking a calm approach to the presidential file in order to agree with others for the interest of the country.

"But others have become very tense," the MP added.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea accused Wednesday caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati of surpassing the judicial authorities, after the latter decided to form a committee to resolve territorial disputes.

"Land border disputes are within the judiciary's powers," Geagea said.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi called Wednesday for an international conference on Lebanon after Lebanese officials failed to hold a dialogue.

"Officials in Lebanon refuse to sit together at a dialogue table because their private interests are more important than the public interest," al-Rahi said.