The European Union and the Ministry of Social Affairs have announced new EU funding of €45 million. For the first time in many years, EU funding will be channeled directly through a Lebanese government institution. "This marks a new phase in their partnership, working more closely with national institutions to deliver support to people across the country," the Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon said in a statement.

The announcement was made Wednesday at the Grand Serail in the presence of Minister of Social Affairs Haneen Sayed, Minister of Finance Yassine Jaber, and EU Ambassador Sandra De Waele.

Strikes continued Thursday, despite a recently extended ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, as the Israeli army struck Harouf, Jebshit, Toul, al-Henniyeh, Kawnine, Zebqine, Adshit, Qalaway, Nabatieh-Mayfadoun, Beit Yahoun, Jmayjmeh, Harees and Baraashit in south Lebanon.

It later ordered the residents of Samaiyeh, Henniyyeh, Qlayleh, Wadi Jilo, Knisseh, Kafra, Siddiqine and Majdalzoun to evacuate.

U.S. President Donald Trump has told Israel's Channel 12 that he is working on preventing the collapse of the Lebanon-Israel ceasefire over the next two weeks and beyond.

"I told (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu that he needs to act in Lebanon in a more surgical manner, not to knock down buildings. You can't do things like that. It's too terrible and makes Israel look bad," Trump added.

The former Lebanese president who once signed a short-lived deal with Israel ending decades of a state of war now says the time is right to try again.

Amin Gemayel spoke with The Associated Press in an interview Wednesday after the first direct talks between Lebanon and Israel since the 1980s, as they explore what could lead to a security agreement or even the eventual normalization of relations. He is part of one of Lebanon's strongest political dynasties that founded the Christian Kataeb Party, which held powerful positions for decades.

Israel's military chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir vowed to strike Hezbollah targets north of Lebanon's Litani River and beyond the so-called "Yellow Line" during a visit to south Lebanon on Wednesday.

"Any threat, anywhere, against our communities or our forces -- including beyond the Yellow Line and north of the Litani -- will be eliminated," Zamir said, according to a military statement issued after his visit to troops stationed within a newly-established Israeli security zone in southern Lebanon.

President Joseph Aoun said Wednesday that Israel must fully implement the ceasefire with Lebanon before beginning direct talks, after Israeli strikes killed more than 20 people over the last two days.

Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war on March 2, and Israeli and Lebanese representatives have since met twice in Washington, the first such meetings in decades, for discussions that Hezbollah has categorically rejected.

A U.N.-backed report said Wednesday that more than 1.2 million people in Lebanon were expected to face acute hunger due to the latest war between Israel and Hezbollah.

Israel considers the extension of the ceasefire agreement with Lebanon until mid-May a window of opportunity to reach a "genuine" understanding, Israeli reports said as an Israeli source said Israel plans to return to "intensive fighting and activity" against Hezbollah if no progress is made during this period.

The source added, in remarks to the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation, that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is seeking to use this timeframe to push for a meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, despite the prevailing skepticism on both sides regarding the feasibility of such a meeting.

President Joseph Aoun has informed Washington that he does not intend to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the beginning of the proposed negotiations, but rather when they conclude, MTV reported.

"This means that if the negotiations succeed, they will culminate in a meeting with Netanyahu under the auspices of U.S. President Donald Trump," MTV said.

There is no rift between Baabda Palace and Ain el-Tineh and a phone call took place yesterday between President Joseph Aoun and Speaker Nabih Berri, Al-Jadeed TV reported on Wednesday.