Speaker Nabih Berri has hailed the Lebanese army on its latest operation against militants on the outskirts of a northeastern town, describing it as one of the best militaries in the region.

“The preemptive operation that was carried out by the Lebanese army last week on the outskirts of Ras Baalbek is an important achievement,” Berri told his visitors.

A progress has been reportedly achieved in the case of so-called Arsal hostages as a positive development could be reached in the upcoming hours.

According to al-Joumhouria newspaper published on Tuesday, a recent meeting between General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim and Qatari intelligence chief Ghanem al-Kubaisi in Doha has set a new roadmap to implement the prisoners swap deal between the abductors and the Lebanese state.

Bolivian authorities said they've seized 27 metric tons of shredded coca leaves that were to have been shipped to Lebanon for processing into cocaine.

It was labeled as yerba mate, a caffeine-rich tea that is especially popular in Argentina and Uruguay. That's according to deputy social defense minister Felipe Caceres. He told reporters that Monday's seizure was a first.

Al-Mustaqbal movement and Hizbullah announced Monday after their seventh dialogue session that they made "serious progress" regarding the security and political issues in the country.

“Discussions were continued and serious progress was made over the security and political files,” said a terse joint statement that was issued after the talks in Ain al-Tineh.

A brother of former MP Ali Eid was shot dead Monday in the Akkar town of al-Kuweikhat, in an attack that was swiftly condemned by the residents and the municipality.

“Bader Eid, a brother of ex-MP Ali Eid, was transferred to the Rahal Hospital in Akkar with a gunshot wound after he came under fire in the town of al-Kuweikhat,” state-run National News Agency reported.

Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil announced Monday that Lebanon “prevented the fall” of Syria, which has been witnessing a bloody conflict since around four years, as he stressed that Damascus must not interfere in the Lebanese affairs.

“It is our duty not to betray or stab Syria, because no matter how much circumstances change, Syria will remain our close neighbor, seeing as we have the scourge of Israel on the other side of the border,” said Bassil in a speech before Lebanese expats at the Arab Social Club in the Venezuelan city of Maturin.

Hassan Ghandour, who hails from the southern city of Sidon, was killed in the conflict in Syria.

Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5) said that his family confirmed its son's death in Syria.

An Israeli military vessel violated Lebanon's territorial waters at dawn Monday and threatened a Lebanese fishing boat.

“In a new violation of Lebanese sovereignty and (U.N. Security Council) Resolution 1701, a gunboat belonging to the Israeli enemy violated the Lebanese territorial waters off Ras al-Naqoura at 3:40 am,” the Lebanese army said in a statement.

A child was sexually assaulted as a school in the northern region of Akkar, reported the National News Agency on Monday.

It said that the father of a three-and-a-half-year-old child filed a complaint at the al-Arida police station saying that he was sexually abused at the Talmaan public school.

A Hizbullah delegation visited on Monday the Tashnag party headquarters in Borj Hammoud and met with its newly elected Secretary General MP Hagop Pakradounian.

The delegation, which was headed by Hizbullah politburo chief Ibrahim Amin al-Sayyed, included the head of Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Mohammed Raad, MP Ali al-Meqdad, Minister Mohammed Fneish, former lawmaker Amin Sherri and politburo member Mahmoud Qmati.