President Joseph Aoun met Friday in Baabda with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and discussed with him the latest Israeli attacks on south Lebanon and the Bekaa and the ongoing contacts to address these developments, the Presidency said.

Aoun and Salam also tackled the 2026 draft state budget and the general situations, ahead of the president’s travel on Saturday to New York to take part in the annual meetings of the U.N. General Assembly.

President Joseph Aoun has condemned the Israeli air strikes on five towns in southern Lebanon and "the silence of the countries who had sponsored" the ceasefire, which he said "encourages further aggression".

"The time has come to put an immediate end to these blatant violations of Lebanon's sovereignty," he said.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Thursday slammed Israel’s disregard for the ceasefire mechanism, urging the international community to exert utmost pressure on Israel to halt its attacks, after Israeli strikes targeted three southern towns following evacuation warnings.

"Lebanon calls on the international community, and particularly the countries that sponsored the ceasefire agreement, to exert maximum pressure on Israel to immediately halt its attacks," Salam said amidst a cabinet meeting.

The Israeli army on Thursday bombed three southern towns after issuing an “urgent warning” for residents to evacuate areas in Mays al-Jabal, Kfar Tebnit and Dibbin.

The strikes targeted two buildings in Mays al-Jabal, one in Kfar Tebnit and Dibbin. Al-Jadeed television said a Syrian worker was lightly wounded in Mays al-Jabal.

Conflicting reports have emerged on whether Hezbollah is still cooperating with Lebanese authorities over the handover of its weapons in the area south of the Litani River near Israel’s border.

Political sources told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper that “this cooperation has declined, which could lead to delaying the army’s mission in this region.”

Head of Hezbollah's Executive Council Sheikh Ali Damoush warned Thursday against dragging the Lebanese army into a confrontation with Hezbollah.

"Do not push the army into a confrontation with its people. The army's role is to face (foreign) aggressions, maintain civil peace, and ensure stability, not to confront the Lebanese people," he said, adding that Hezbollah's weakness is just "an illusion". "Those who bet that the resistance will surrender to pressure and threats are delusional."

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Thursday lamented the “new attacks” on UNIFIL forces in south Lebanon, after reports said UNIFIL patrols were intercepted by residents in the towns of Jibsheet and al-Zrariyeh.

“The repeated attacks on U.N. forces show that security forces are not dealing with the facts on the ground with the necessary seriousness,” Geagea decried.

Justice Minister Adel Nassar on Thursday met with Bulgarian Ambassador to Lebanon Iassen Tomov and discussed with him the judicial and diplomatic measures related to the extradition of the owner of the Rhosus ship from Bulgaria to Lebanon.

Nassar lauded Bulgaria’s “cooperation and coordination in this regard” and agreed with Tomov on continued communication to hand over the detainee as soon as possible, knowing that there is an extradition treaty between Bulgaria and Lebanon.”

President Joseph Aoun's adviser Andre Rahal has met with Hezbollah MP Mohammad Raad, Hezbollah said in a statement.

The meeting on Wednesday evening discussed "a number of issues concerning the country's interests in a spirit of mutual understanding," the statement said.

Hezbollah’s disarmament is still topping the U.S. agenda for Lebanon, a Western diplomatic source said.

Quoting a U.S. official, the source told al-Joumhouria newspaper that “the situation in Lebanon will not remain as it is” and that Washington believes that “it will certainly witness a drastic transformation and a promising future.”