Hizbullah is mediating between Hamas and Iran to improve their ties after the Islamic Republic failed to convince the Palestinian militant group to back it in its conflict with Saudi Arabia in return for the resumption of full financial assistance, sources told pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat published on Thursday.

The sources said that Hizbullah deputy leader Sheikh Naim Qassem has sent an invitation to Hamas Politburo chief Moussa Abou Marzouq to visit Lebanon for the purpose of meeting top Iranian officials, including members of the Revolutionary Guards, who come on routine trips to Beirut to coordinate with the party on the operations in Syria.

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil hinted Wednesday that the Change and Reform bloc and Hizbullah will not take part in any parliamentary session involving a competition over the presidential post between bloc chief MP Michel Aoun and Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh.

Bassil's statement came only hours after Franjieh boasted that his presidential bid enjoys the support of 70 out of 127 MPs and noted that only “forty” lawmakers would vote for Aoun.

Former Kataeb Party chief and ex-Lebanese president Amin Gemayel on Wednesday slammed Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea's decision to nominate Change and Reform bloc chief MP Michel Aoun for the presidency as a mere “reaction” that might have “destroyed March 14 as an institution.”

“The Maarab meeting was a reaction to (al-Mustaqbal movement leader ex-PM Saad) Hariri's nomination of (Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman) Franjieh, who is Geagea's neighbor in Bsharri, and we hope it wasn't a mere reaction,” said Gemayel in an interview with Al-Jazeera television.

A woman was critically wounded on Wednesday after gunmen broke into the house she lives in with her husband in the restive northeastern border town of Arsal, state-run National News Agency reported.

“Three armed men stormed Khaled Hussein Ezzeddine's house in the al-Hosn area of the town of Arsal and opened fire,” NNA said.

A Syrian refugee encampment was totally gutted by fire Wednesday in the northern Akkar region, state-run National News Agency reported.

“Five Syrian refugee tents went up in flames in the town of Tal Hmayra in the Akkar Plain after a heater's gas cylinder exploded,” NNA said.

A national dialogue session was held at Speaker Nabih Berri's Ain el-Tineh residence on Wednesday to address the latest developments in the country.

Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh revealed after the talks that the gatherers did not address the presidential deadlock.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat expressed on Wednesday “admiration with the democracy in Iran,” citing the recent exclusion of the grandson of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, from contesting elections next month.

The MP said via Twitter: “Given its 'democratic' record, perhaps Iran does not want the election of any MPs Henri Helou, Suleiman Franjieh, or Michel Aoun as president.”

A Lebanese toddler was diagnosed with swine flu at the state hospital in the southern city of Sidon, the state-run National New Agency reported on Wednesday.

The hospital's management confirmed that the 18-month-old girl was suffering from the H1N1 virus, saying she is receiving the appropriate treatment under the supervision of the health ministry.

Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil said on Wednesday that the decision to export Lebanon's trash must be reviewed in light of the huge expenses it entails and the new offer submitted by a Thai based company proposing cheaper prices to solve the eight-month long crisis.

“Regardless of the serious new proposal made by New Boxer Group to export the trash at a cheaper cost than that offered by Britain’s Chinook Urban Mining International, the offer will likely be reevaluated in light of the high costs incurred on the state,” Khalil told al-Akhbar daily on Wednesday

The failure to resolve the dispute on the appointment of top military officers will likely compel the Free Patriotic Movement, Hizbullah and Tashnag Party ministers to again boycott a cabinet session scheduled to be held on Thursday.

The same ministers boycotted a session that was held on January 14 because the appointment of top officers at the Military Council was not on the agenda.