President Joseph Aoun on Friday noted that “Lebanon is committed to the cessation of hostilities agreement, while Israel is still occupying the five hills and increasing its attacks on it.”

Aoun voiced his remarks in a meeting in Baabda with a delegation from the World Bank.

The United States will continue using every tool at its disposal to ensure Hezbollah no longer poses a threat to the Lebanese people or the broader region, the U.S. department of state said in a statement, after it imposed sanctions on three Hezbollah members accused of involvement in financial transactions for Hezbollah.

"The United States is committed to supporting Lebanon by exposing and disrupting Iran’s covert financing of Hizballah. By enabling Hizballah, Iran holds Lebanon back and undermines its sovereignty. Iran and Hizballah cannot be allowed to keep Lebanon captive any longer," the statement said.

The UNIFIL peacekeeping mission has said the latest wave of Israeli strikes on south Lebanon "undermines the progress being made toward a political and diplomatic solution".

Israeli jets had struck several towns in southern Lebanon on Thursday after urging residents to leave, marking an escalation in their near-daily strikes on the country.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Friday that only the state has the war and peace decision, a day after Hezbollah said it has the right to defend itself against Israel.

Salam said the government is working on monopolizing weapons and ending Israeli attacks and occupation. "There are no more empty promises, but rather practical steps," he vowed.

A senior Israeli military official has warned that Israel would attack targets in Beirut if the Lebanese army fails to disarm Hezbollah.

"If the Lebanese army does not disarm Hezbollah and fails to meet the demands of the ceasefire, Israel, with U.S. backing, will attack Hezbollah targets across Lebanon, including in Beirut," the official told Israeli Channel 12, hours after Israel struck a series of targets in southern Lebanon.

Cabinet met Thursday in Beirut to follow up on a plan to disarm Hezbollah and other non-state armed groups in the country drafted by the Lebanese military.

Army chief Gen. Rudolph Haikal briefed the government for the second time on its plan to disarm Hezbollah, while Israel carried out airstrikes in south Lebanon.

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair will visit Lebanon next week to discuss the latest developments with President Joseph Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, pro-Hezbollah al-Akhbar newspaper said.

The daily claimed that the visit comes amid Israeli pressure on the U.S. to stop supporting the Lebanese government that, according to Israel, is not serious in implementing Hezbollah's disarmament plan.

Israel does not want escalation in Lebanon and there are no new instructions for the residents of northern Israel, an Israeli security official told the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation on Thursday, after Israel issued evacuation orders for four buildings in four southern Lebanese towns prior to airstrikes.

“We’re continuing our firm and strict approach in Lebanon and there is no change in the adopted policy in Lebanon,” Israeli army officers told Israel’s Channel 7.

Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Walid Bukhari met Thursday with Lebanese Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal and discussed with him the army's deployment in south Lebanon following a decision by the Lebanese government to disarm Hezbollah, starting in south Lebanon.

The meeting comes ahead of a visit by Saudi envoy Prince Yazid Bin Farhan with a Saudi delegation. Al-Jadeed said Bin Farhan will arrive next week in Beirut with a high-level official, while LBCI reported that the visit would start on Monday.

The Israeli military said it had launched a series of strikes on Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon on Thursday, shortly after issuing evacuation warnings to residents in parts of the area.

"The IDF (Israeli army) has begun a series of strikes on Hezbollah military targets in southern Lebanon," the military said.