Hundreds of people were trapped in their vehicles on mountainous roads on Friday as storm Vladimir that began two days ago blanketed the high altitudes with snow on New Year's Day.

“More than 700 cars are trapped between Aitou and Ehden and residents are urging the army to intervene,” LBCI television reported.

Hizbullah deputy chief Sheikh Naim Qassem has warned Israel that the assassination of any Hizbullah operative in Syria cannot go unpunished.

“The assassination of the martyr Samir al-Quntar is part of Israel's attempt to create new rules of engagement and to give the impression that killing operations in Syria can go without a response,” Qassem said in an interview.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi lamented on Friday that the presidential initiative has not been seriously addressed by officials.

He said during New Year mass: “It is unfortunate that a month has passed since it was unveiled and that political blocs have failed to address it seriously.”

The initiative to nominate Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh as president has created divisions among the March 14 coalition, reported the Kuwaiti daily al-Anba on Friday.

It has also “fragmented” the rival March 8 camp, said March 14 sources to the daily.

General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim carried out on Thursday a tour of security stations on the southern border with Israel, hailing the security forces' national role, reported the National News Agency on Friday.

He said: “One of our greatest national and political constants are that we are faced by Israeli aggression and takfiri terrorism.”

Syrian anti-aircrafts opened fire at a Lebanese helicopter near the al-Kabir River on the border with Syria in the North, the state-run National News Agency reported on Thursday.

The helicopter was slightly damaged but the pilots managed to return to the Qlaiaat base, it added.

The General Security arrested a Lebanese man for confessing to belonging to the al-Qaida-affiliated al-Nusra Front, it said in a statement on Thursday.

The suspect admitted that he was tasked with forming a Nusra Front cell in Lebanon, recruiting members, and facilitating their passage to join the fight in Syria.

Security forces warned that the vacuum at the top state post can pave way for a favorable environment for the assassination of prominent political figures, As Safir daily reported on Thursday.

“The most dangerous thing about extending the vacuum is that it could be a favorable environment for dramatic incidents inside Lebanon that could lead to the assassination of political figures,” security forces told the daily.

Defense Minister Samir Moqbel and Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji assured that they have been officially notified that the Saudi grant to purchase French weapons is “on track” and that the arms are in the making process, al-Mustaqbal daily reported on Thursday.

“The $3 million grant is on track and there is no backing down,” said Moqbel to the daily.

Israeli army chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot toured the Syrian frontier in the occupied Golan Heights on Wednesday amid high tensions with Hizbullah that followed the assassination of top operative Samir al-Quntar.

Northern Command chief Aviv Kochavi and Galilee Division commander Amir Baram accompanied Eisenkot on his tour, the website of Israel's Yediot Aharonot newspaper reported.