Education Minister Elias Bou Saab downplayed Thursday the impact of differences on the cabinet performance, revealing that the Change and Reform bloc didn't decide yet on boycotting the government or withdrawing its ministers.

“We are determined not to delay the appointment of high-ranking security officials at state posts,” Bou Saad said in comments published in al-Mustaqbal newspaper.

Al-Qaida-affiliate al-Nusra Front chief vowed in a wide-randing televised interview late Wednesday to defeat Hizbullah in al-Qalamoun.

Without showing his face, Abu Mohamed al-Jolani promised defeat for Hizbullah, which has significantly bolstered the Bashar Assad regime, in the mountainous border region between Syria and Lebanon.

Saudi Arabia announced on Wednesday that it has imposed sanctions on two prominent members of Hizbullah on charges of “carrying out terrorist acts throughout the Middle East,” reported the Saudi Press Agency according to a statement issued by the kingdom.

It identified them as Khalil Harb and Mohammed Qabalan.

Health Minister Wael Abou Faour vowed on Wednesday that the food safety campaign which he had launched in late 2014 will continue, despite the hardships that his mission has faced and still faces.

He declared during a press conference: “We will not back down from our campaign. We have received threats, but we will continue our mission.”

U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon David Hale announced on Wednesday plans to build a new embassy, which he said will give the mission more space to deepen ties between the two countries.

The new facilities, which will be located next door to the current embassy in the town of Awkar, “is just one more example of the enduring partnership that exists between the United States and Lebanon,” said Hale following talks with Ambassador Charbel Wehbe at the Foreign Ministry.

A group of jihadists affiliated to al-Nusra Front were killed Wednesday in an ambush conducted by Hizbullah in the outskirts of the northeastern border town of Arsal.

The group was allegedly spotted with surveillance drones that were overflying the outskirts of Arsal and Nahle, Hizbullah's mouthpiece al-Manar said.

Several people were killed Wednesday when a mini bus flipped over in the northeastern border town of Arsal.

The state-run national news agency reported that three people were killed and fourteen others were injured in the traffic accident on Arsal–Labweh highway.

Speaker Nabih Berri has described Lebanon as a democracy but did not elaborate on calls made by March 14 MPs to reduce the quorum required to hold the presidential elections.

Berri said in remarks published in several local dailies on Wednesday that Lebanon is a “democratic state.”

A Vatican envoy will reportedly visit Lebanon on Friday at the head of a Papal delegation, with an agenda focusing on the presidential vacuum.

Vatican's former Foreign Minister Monsignor Dominique Mamberti will underline during his meetings the importance of ending the presidential stalemate, local newspapers reported on Wednesday.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat has called for preserving internal stability as the Islamic State extremist group continued to make more gains inside Syria.

The western city of Palmyra, home to a set of historic Roman-era ruins, was captured by the IS last week.