The Lebanese army denied on Wednesday that Milan anti-tank missiles delivered by France to the Lebanese army under a Saudi grant two months ago are dysfunctional.

The military said in a communique that army experts had thoroughly inspected the missiles during delivery.

Lebanon has likely plunged in an open-ended cabinet crisis after consultations on the controversial issue of the appointment of high-ranking security and military officials failed to produce results.

Speaker Nabih Berri did not confirm to his visitors whether Prime Minister Tammam Salam would be able to call for a cabinet session this month or if the paralysis would last longer than the holy month of Ramadan which starts on Thursday.

Lebanon is expected to face an environmental crisis next month when a landfill which lies in the town of Naameh south of Beirut is scheduled to be closed in accordance with a government decision, An Nahar daily reported on Wednesday.

The July 17 deadline for the closure of the Naameh landfill also coincides with the expiry of the contract with Sukleen, which is responsible for collecting and transporting the garbage in Beirut and Mount Lebanon, said the newspaper.

Two days after he was elected president of the Kataeb Party, MP Sami Gemayel on Tuesday announced that he does not support calls for holding a so-called constituent assembly that would drastically change the Lebanese political system.

“The Lebanese must admit that they have failed to manage their diversity, and a new mechanism is needed,” Gemayel acknowledged during an interview on LBCI television.

Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Daryan announced on Tuesday evening that Thursday, June 18, is the first day of the holy month of Ramadan.

“The crescent moon of the holy month of Ramadan was not spotted this evening. Accordingly, tomorrow, Wednesday … is the 30th day of the month of Shaaban and Thursday, June 18, is the first day of the holy month of Ramadan,” Daryan said in a statement.

Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc on Tuesday accused MP Michel Aoun's Change and Reform bloc of paralyzing the country and the economy over “narrow personal and family interests,” slamming Hizbullah for providing a “political cover” to its ally.

“After the impediment and hijacking of the presidency, the obstruction and blackmail have moved to the cabinet, which is the only institution that can currently address the situation resulting from the continued presidential void,” said the bloc in a statement issued after its weekly meeting.

The Change and Reform bloc criticized on Tuesday the stalling in holding a cabinet session, demanding that it convene to halt “the violations against the constitution” and resolve the dispute over the controversial security appointments issue.

Former Minister Salim Jreissati said after the bloc's weekly meeting: “Cabinet should meet in order to restore dignity to the army command.”

Hizbullah's mouthpiece al-Manar TV station reported on Tuesday new achievements by the Syrian army and the party's fighters along the rugged Syrian-Lebanese border.

Al-Manar said that Syrian troops and Hizbullah fighters controlled Ras al-Kosh and Qornet Ras al-Saabeh on the outskirts of al-Jarajeer in the Syrian area of Qalamoun.

Families of Lebanese servicemen taken hostage by the Islamic State group blocked the vital highway between Tripoli and Beirut on Tuesday, amid reports that negotiations with the al-Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front have nearly settled on releasing several troops in a prisoner exchange.

The families blocked the key highway in both directions in the al-Qalamoun area, just outside Tripoli, declaring that the road would remain closed until 8:00 pm.

The Israeli army's northern command is busy tracking Hizbullah in Syria, its chief, Maj.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi, has said.

“The most prominent sphere is the change this sector has experienced and is experiencing. In our generation, under our watch, we are facing this challenge – and we must know to change,” Kochavi has said, according to the Jerusalem Post daily.