Diplomats urged on Monday Lebanese foes no to delay the cabinet formation pending a Saudi-Iranian rapprochement, which might not happen anytime soon, depending on the developments in war-torn Syria.

A prominent diplomat said in comments published in As Safir newspaper that Saudi Arabia advises Lebanese arch-foes to “resolve their disputes on their own and not to wait for Tehran and Riyadh to bridge the gap between them,” ahead of the upcoming presidential elections.

Phalange leader Amin Gemayel downplayed Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's latest threats, saying the Lebanese have no choice but to resolve their political problems peacefully.

“The threat of any political party to its partners in the nation is rejected and unacceptable,” Gemayel told the Kuwaiti al-Seyassah newspaper published on Monday.

Speaker Nabih Berri rejected on Monday the formation of a cabinet based on any formula other than 6-9-9, describing it as a national unity government.

“Any other cabinet lineup will not be useful,” Berri said in comments published in As Safir newspaper.

Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji said on Monday that he ordered military units to deal firmly with gunmen in the West Bekaa town of Souairi.

Qahwaji stressed in comments published in As Safir newspaper that the army will not hesitate in maintaining security in the country and striking it with an iron fist.

President Michel Suleiman has said he would reveal over the weekend important details on efforts he is exerting along with the International Support Group for Lebanon to resolve Lebanon's political crisis.

“Something will happen in the New Year, the result of the efforts exerted by the International Support Group for Lebanon that was born in New York on the sidelines of the General Assembly session,” Suleiman said in remarks to An Nahar daily published on Monday.

An armed clash linked to drug dealing erupted Sunday in the Dekwaneh area in Northern Metn, state-run National News Agency reported.

“Several people were wounded in a clash over drug dealing between members of the Zoaiter family in the Dekwaneh neighborhood,” NNA said.

A clash took place overnight Saturday between Hizbullah and armed men on the Lebanese-Syrian border, media reports said on Sunday.

According to MTV, the fighting between members of Hizbullah and an “armed Syrian group” left several people killed or wounded.

The army managed to contain the situation on Sunday evening in the West Bekaa town of Souairi after renewed clashes between the Shouman and Jinbeen families left four people dead earlier in the day.

"The army managed to contain the situation in the town of Souairi amid cautious calm," LBCI television reported.

Caretaker Energy Minister Jebran Bassil said Sunday that a strong president is the one who has the support of the people, rejecting any attempt to “weaken” Lebanon.

“The powerful president is strong through his people and nation,” said Bassil during the launching of the second phase of the Janna dam construction in Kesrouan district, northeast of Beirut.

The Lebanese army carried out raids in a town in the northern district of Akkar on Sunday in search for suspects involved in a deadly shooting, the state-run National News Agency reported.

NNA said a military unit was searching in Talbibeh for suspects with links to the shooting that left one person dead and five others injured.