French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian addressed in his visit to Lebanon "the reinforcement" of the committee monitoring the year-long ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, which France is a part of, French foreign ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux said.

The main aim of the visit was to discuss the details of a conference that France will host in March to raise funds for the Lebanese army.

The European Union and the Government of Lebanon have signed six new Financing Agreements, totaling €110.5 million in grants, to support Lebanon’s security sector, recovery in conflict-affected areas, and key reform priorities. All agreements were signed with the Minister of Finance Yassine Jaber.

These grants are funded under the €1 billion support package announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during her visit to Beirut in May 2024. "They reaffirm the European Union’s strong commitment to Lebanon’s stability, sovereignty and security, and to strengthening state institutions at a critical moment for the country," the Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon said in a statement Thursday.

The Lebanese Army is “logistically assessing the situation between the Awali and Litani rivers," a Lebanese military source said, noting that "based on this assessment, the army will develop a vision for the second phase of arms monopolization."

The source emphasized to Al-Jazeera that "military efforts in phase 2 must coincide with political, social and economic efforts," pointing out that "Israeli attacks and a lack of cooperation from Hezbollah’s social environment could obstruct the implementation of the second phase."

Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji’s latest remarks on Israel and the ceasefire agreement have drawn condemnations from Hezbollah officials.

"As long as weapons are not permanently restricted, Israel unfortunately has the right to continue its attacks according to the agreement," Rajji said in an interview.

Hezbollah political bureau member Mahmoud Qmati warned Wednesday against the government's approach to Hezbollah's disarmament, saying that it could lead to a civil war.

Qmati said there will be no talk or dialogue regarding the disarmament of Hezbollah north of the Litani river before Israel withdraws from all Lebanese territories.

Hezbollah was reportedly angered after President Joseph Aoun advised it, in a televised address, to return to "reason", arguing that in the current geopolitical climate, the group’s weapons have become unnecessary and a "burden" on both Lebanon and Hezbollah’s own support base.

A prominent source close to the Hezbollah-Amal alliance told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, in remarks published Wednesday, that Hezbollah was "hesitant" to voice its discontent before coordinating with Speaker and ally Nabih Berri, who has a different point of view.

President Joseph Aoun is reassured that Hezbollah will not join a potential war between U.S.-Israel and Iran, official sources close to the president said.

The sources claimed that high-level talks with Hezbollah have reassured the president that the group would not join a potential regional escalation in Iran.

French President Emmanuel Macron will open an international conference in support of the Lebanese Army in Paris on March 5, the Lebanese presidency said in a statement Wednesday.

The statement came after French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian, Saudi envoy Prince Yazid Bin Farhan, and the ambassadors of the U.S., Qatar and Egypt met Wednesday with President Joseph Aoun in Baabda.

During Lebanon's civil war, the Commodore Hotel in western Beirut's Hamra district became iconic among the foreign press corps.

For many, it served as an unofficial newsroom where they could file dispatches even when communications systems were down elsewhere. Armed guards at the door provided some sense of protection as sniper fights and shelling were turning the cosmopolitan city to rubble.

Reliable electricity is “essential for economic growth and foreign investment,” the U.S. Embassy in Beirut said on Tuesday, following a meeting between U.S. Ambassador Michel Issa and Chair and General Manager of Electricite du Liban Kamal Hayek.

During the meeting, Issa “underscored the United States’ commitment to supporting Lebanon’s efforts to modernize its electricity sector, noting that American companies are well-positioned to provide expertise and technology,” the Embassy said in a post on X.