Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stressed Tuesday that Israel will not withdraw its forces from south Lebanon as long as Hezbollah has weapons.

“Our presence at five points in southern Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire agreement, but we imposed it, and the United States accepted it," Katz added.

The key Ring highway in Beirut and the vital Khalde road just outside the capital were blocked on Tuesday in protest at the government’s overnight decision to hike gasoline prices by 25% and the Valued Added Tax (VAT) from 11% to 12%.

The government said it made the move in order to fund a wage increase for the public sector and the armed forces equivalent to six times their wages in Lebanese pound in 2019.

Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim Qassem on Monday criticized the Lebanese government for offering “continuous concessions” to Israel, suggesting that the Lebanese state should halt all steps related to the so-called arms monopolization plan.

“If you want to surrender, amend the constitution, because the constitution's essence is confrontation and defense for the sake of liberation,” said Qassem in a televised speech commemorating Hezbollah’s slain leaders Ragheb Harb, Abbas al-Moussawi and Imad Mughniyeh.

President Joseph Aoun stressed Monday that Lebanon is “no longer able to bear anyone's conflicts, nor anyone's burdens.”

“We desire nothing but the well-being of our people, the prosperity of our nation and the lives of our children,” Aoun said during a joint press conference with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the Baabda Palace.

Speaker Nabih Berri stressed Monday that the May parliamentary elections will be held on time and that even a “technical” delay is not possible.

“There is a law that is in force,” Berri said of the electoral law.

One person was killed Monday in an Israeli drone strike on a van and an SUV in the southern town of Hanine.

The Israeli army claimed that the targeted person was a Hezbollah operative who was working on rebuilding military infrastructure for the group in south Lebanon.

Israeli airstrikes overnight targeted open areas in the southern region of Iqlim al-Tuffah.

The Israeli army said claimed the strikes hit Hezbollah infrastructure including warehouses used to store weapons and missile launchers.

Ex-PM Saad Hariri on Saturday hinted that his al-Mustaqbal Movement might take part in the upcoming parliamentary elections while stressing that its political role has not ended.

Achieving a stable and prosperous future for Lebanon requires both comprehensive financial restructuring and a foundation of peace and security that rebuilds trust with the international community, the U.S. Embassy in Beirut said on Friday.

It said U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa discussed with IMF Middle East & North Africa team lead Ernesto Ramirez Rigo means to “restore Lebanon's global credibility and attract international investments.”

As Lebanon prepares for its parliamentary elections, it is still not clear if and how the expatriates will participate.

Interior Minister Ahmad al-Hajjar said that despite all the confusion, the elections will be held on time.