MP Assem Araji stressed on Friday that the Lebanese army is the sole side authorized to defend the country's border.

“The army is the sole side authorized to confront armed groups and defend the border” said Araji, adding that “the military institution enjoys full (people's) support in order to preserve the security in Arsal and the safety of the displaced,” said Araji in an interview to VDL (93.3).

The Lebanese army on Friday upped its security measures in the northeastern border town of Arsal to keep militants from infiltrating into the town, as Hizbullah launched an offensive against jihadists in the border area, media reports said.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea announced Thursday that “struggle” will continue until the March 14 camp achieves “its final victory” and until the disarmament of Hizbullah and other armed groups in the country.

Heavy Hizbullah shelling was on Thursday targeting militant posts in the outskirts of the northeastern border town of Arsal, as a media report said the group's long-anticipated “operation” against jihadists in the area had started.

An international watchdog has renewed its calls for an independent and transparent investigation into the recent deaths of at least four Syrians in Lebanese army custody, as well as allegations of torture and ill-treatment of the detained.

Kataeb Party chief MP Sami Gemayel on Thursday called on President Michel Aoun not to sign the tax law that was approved Wednesday by parliament and to return it to the legislature for reevaluation, warning of a possible “economic disaster.”

The Cabinet on Thursday passed long-awaited diplomatic appointments as President Michel Aoun called for “improving the state's revenues” in the wake of parliament's approval of a new wage scale for civil servants and the armed forces.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri met with Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) Registrar Daryl Mundis during a working visit to Lebanon this week, an STL press release said on Thursday.

"This visit allowed me to inform the Prime Minister of the latest developments in the STL’s work and thank him for the Lebanese Government’s continued cooperation with the Tribunal,” said Mundis.

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat on Thursday described violation fines imposed by the parliament on illegal maritime property along Lebanon's coastline as a “farce”.

“What a farce that maritime property violators are to pay fines for one time only. It seems the lawmakers have not noticed how many the violations are,” said Jumblat in a tweet.

Lebanese Forces MP George Adwan on Thursday said the Lebanese people were granted “a long-standing right” after the parliament’s approval of the wage scale, and stressed the necessity to have a “balanced” state budget.