President Joseph Aoun met Friday with U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa to discuss the recent developments and the results of Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal’s visit to Washington.

“They further discussed preparations for the conference to support the Lebanese Army and Internal Security Forces, scheduled for March 5 in Paris, in which the United States will participate. A preparatory meeting will precede the conference to coordinate positions, particularly as President Aoun's attendance alongside (French) President (Emmanuel) Macron lends it significant importance,” the Presidency said.

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil discussed Hezbollah's disarmament in a televised interview, in which he said that for Hezbollah to hand over its arms Lebanon must work on a comprehensive strategy to protect the country.

Lebanon "must simultaneously secure an Israeli withdrawal and defense agreements with countries, such as the United States, in order to convince Hezbollah to hand over its weapons. A comprehensive policy to protect Lebanon must be established," he told talk show host Marcel Ghanem on Thursday evening.

MP Ali Fayyad of Hezbollah noted Friday that "the country is at a sensitive and critical crossroads requiring everyone to act with the utmost responsibility to save it and guide it to safety.”

“This will enable us all to confront these numerous pressures and challenges, which necessitates consultation, dialogue and understanding regarding the critical issues it faces," Fayyad said.

Druze leader Walid Jumblat stressed Friday in an X post that “preserving national unity and the unity of institutions is more important than the arbitrary U.S.-Israeli dictations.”

Jumblat’s stance comes in the wake of Lebanese Army chief General Rodolphe Haykal’s visit to the United States.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has emphasized that the upcoming parliamentary elections will be held on time in May.

“Between May and July the electoral law will not change and will stay the same as it is now,” Berri added, in an interview with the Asas Media news portal.

An Israeli drone dropped Friday a stun grenade on the outskirts of Yaroun after overnight artillery shelling on the southern border town.

On Thursday, Israeli airstrikes targeted several regions in south and east Lebanon, with the Israeli army saying it targeted "Hezbollah" sites.

Lebanon and Syria signed an agreement Friday to transfer more than 300 Syrians from Lebanese prisons to continue serving their sentences in their home country, a step that will likely help improve strained relations between the two neighbors.

The signing came a week after Lebanon's Cabinet approved a treaty with Syria for the transfer of prisoners. The deal was signed at the government headquarters in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, by Lebanon's Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri and Syria's Justice Minister Mazhar al-Wais.

U.S. envoy Tom Barrack has again described Lebanon as a “failed state,” noting that “the confessional system does not work.”

“A Maronite president, a Sunni prime minister and a Shia speaker; a 128 parliamentary seats split equally between Islam and Christians; everything is a deadlock,” said Barrack at a seminar organized by the Milken Institute.

Israel is not abiding by the ceasefire as it is still occupying five points in south Lebanon and detaining Lebanese prisoners in Israel, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam told CNN.

Salam said the Israeli attacks and violations are undermining the efforts of his government to disarm Hezbollah and expand the state's authority to all Lebanese territory.

Hezbollah is keen on cooperation to achieve the interest of all Lebanese, MP Mohammad Raad said Wednesday after he met with President Joseph Aoun in Baabda.

He added that meetings and talks will continue between Hezbollah and the president to achieve Lebanon's interests. "We are keen on cooperation to achieve the goals of all Lebanese people -- ending the occupation, releasing prisoners, strengthening stability, and the return of our people to their homes and villages," Raad said.