Egypt believes Lebanon should quickly form a much-needed new government, and that any further delay could aggravate the crises in the country, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Saturday.

Lebanese authorities seized Friday millions of Captagon pills in the port of Beirut, placed in two containers loaded with stones and prepared for smuggling to Saudi Arabia.

Lebanese Forces party chief Samir Geagea on Friday “shamed” President Michel Aoun and the caretaker government of Hassan Diab for neglecting the Lebanese army’s basic needs, after donor nations lined up Thursday to provide emergency aid for Lebanon’s military.

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri held a meeting on Friday with U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea at the Center House, his press office said.

Israeli spokesman Avichay Adraee said on Friday that Israeli troops thwarted an alleged arms smuggling attempt on the border with Lebanon.

French envoy Patrick Durell is expected in Beirut on Friday to push leaders in Lebanon into forming a much-needed government, ahead of reported sanctions France and the EU are preparing against some officials in Lebanon, An Nahar newspaper reported on Friday.

In a first since the launch of indirect talks with Lebanon on their disputed maritime borders, Israel made a position expressing eagerness for “innovative solutions to complete and bring the file to a close”, media reports said Friday.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, Joseph Borrell, will visit Lebanon on Saturday and Sunday, the EU Delegation to Lebanon confirmed on Thursday.

Borrell’s first official visit to Lebanon on behalf of the EU well come “at a very critical moment for the country, which is suffering from several crises,” the Delegation said in a statement.

United Nations Under-Secretary-General and U.N.-Habitat Executive Director, Maimunah Mohd Sharif, has completed her first official visit to Lebanon from 10 to 16 June 2021, the U.N. said on Thursday.

During her visit, Sharif toured projects implemented by U.N.-Habitat in Lebanon, including those conducted and underway in response to the catastrophic Beirut Port explosion.

U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Joanna Wronecka on Thursday called on countries taking part in a French-hosted virtual conference in support of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) to do everything in their power to meet the immediate emergency needs of Lebanon’s military institution, which has been deeply affected by the country’s unprecedented economic crisis.