After a “long interruption” in contacts between Bkirki and Hizbullah, MTV television station said Monday that senior Hizbullah official Ibrahim Amin al-Sayyed has contacted Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi offering his condolences over the death of his brother.

Director general of the state-run Rafik Hariri University Hospital, Firas Abiad said on Monday the capacity of hospitals in Lebanon have “depleted” amid an uncontrollable surge in coronavirus cases, warning that the situation “is not well” at the virus level.

Forming a new government in Lebanon seems to falter further despite the country’s need for a reform cabinet much hoped for to begin the process of recovery in the crisis-hit nation.

Media reports close to Baabda Presidential Palace told al-Joumhouria daily on Monday that no progress was recorded from any side or party in relation to the governmental file.

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat on Sunday noted that “amid the corona invasion” of Lebanon, “political debate no longer has any value or meaning.”

“Some of us gets excited or drowns in local affairs while every day it becomes evident that we are going around in a vicious cycle,” Jumblat tweeted.

Lebanon, which began a 25-day lockdown Thursday to curb a huge surge in Covid-19 cases, is inclined to toughen the measures further in light of the dire health situation, TV networks said on Sunday.

“There is an inclination to toughen the anti-coronavirus measures and close the airport for a week,” al-Jadeed TV reported.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Sunday called on the caretaker government to impose a “complete and strict lockdown” in the country in the face of the dramatic surge in coronavirus cases.

“In light of the very dangerous deterioration in the health situations in the country, the caretaker cabinet is required to take an instant decision for a full, comprehensive, complete and strict lockdown,” Geagea said in a tweet.

Al-Mustaqbal Movement said Sunday that PM-designate Saad Hariri has already presented the line-up of a reformist cabinet to President Michel Aoun, slamming what it called Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil’s “obstacles” and “sectarian and racist standards.”

“The Movement leaves it to the Lebanese people to believe or not believe (ex-)Minister Bassil, seeing as we as a Movement will not engage in political polemics that will not bring the country an anti-coronavirus vaccine nor will return the economic cycle to its right track nor will rebuild Beirut and compensate those affected by the port blast,” al-Mustaqbal said in a statement.

President Michel Aoun on Sunday called for an emergency meeting for the country’s Higher Defense Council.

A statement issued by the Presidency said the extraordinary meeting will be held on Monday at 3:00 pm to discuss the health situation in the country and the circumstances of the medical sector.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Sunday reiterated his call for President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri to hold a “personal reconciliation meeting.”

“Shouldn’t domestic and foreign obstacles vanish before the salvation of Lebanon’s fate and reviving the state of institutions?” al-Rahi asked in his Sunday Mass sermon.

Israeli warplanes and surveillance drones on Sunday staged heavy overflights in Lebanon’s airspace, including over Beirut and its suburbs, sparking panic among the residents of a nation still reeling from the devastating August 4 explosion at Beirut’s port.

LBCI television said Israeli warplanes overflew Beirut, Sidon and Keserwan at low altitude.