More clashes are expected to take place in the northeastern town of Arsal and other border areas, predicted a security source to As Safir newspaper on Saturday.

It expected the recurrence of such unrest as part of efforts by armed groups to pressure the army and Hizbullah “in an attempt to demonstrate their military might”, he explained.

An explosion was heard at a building on the outskirts of the northeastern border town of Arsal overnight, media reports said on Saturday.

As Safir newspaper said that the blast targeted an Islamic courthouse affiliated with the Islamic State.

A knife attack left a woman dead and two others wounded on Friday in the northern district of Dinniyeh, state-run National News Agency reported.

“Masked assailants stabbed F. al-Hajj to death this evening as she was visiting her daughter in the Dinniyeh town of Bakhoun,” NNA said.

The Appeals Panel of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon has unanimously decided that the court does have jurisdiction to hear cases of obstruction of justice against legal persons in the case against the journalist Ibrahim al-Amin and al-Akhbar newspaper, the STL said in a statement on Friday.

“Following an appeal by the Amicus Curiae Prosecutor, the Appeals Panel – composed of Judge Afif Chamseddine (presiding), Judge Janet Nosworthy and Judge Ivana Hrdlièková – reversed the Contempt Judge’s previous decision on jurisdiction where he held that Rule 60 bis of the Tribunal’s Rules of Procedure and Evidence – that governs contempt and obstruction of justice offenses -- only applies to natural persons,” the court announced.

The army announced on Friday that “several of its troops” were killed and others wounded in ongoing clashes with terrorists in the Tallat al-Hamra region on the outskirts of Ras Baalbek in the eastern Bekaa.

On Friday morning, said the communique, terrorist groups attacked an army surveillance post in Tallat al-Hamra near the Lebanese-Syrian border.

United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Sigrid Kaag held talks on Friday with Prime Minister Tammam Salam on the latest developments in Lebanon, most notably Israel's strike against a Syria's Quneitra region.

She said: “I reiterated the statement of U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urging all parties to refrain from any actions that could directly or indirectly lead to an escalation of the current situation.”

Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon warned on Friday Hizbullah and Damascus not to launch any attack on the Jewish state, stressing that Lebanon and Syria will be held responsible for any retaliatory attack.

“Israel will consider governments, regimes and organizations beyond its northern border responsible for any attack from their territories,” Yaalon said in a statement.

Tourism Minister Michel Pharaon rejected on Friday the criticism directed against Miss Lebanon, Saly Greige, in the wake of her “selfie” with Miss Israel that has created uproar in the country and over social media.

He said during a press conference: “Greige will not be punished for her actions and she will not be stripped of her title.”

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi underwent a “successful” surgery on Friday to remove a blood clot in the head, Bkirki announced.

The seat of the patriarchate said in a statement that al-Rahi was admitted to the Eye & Ear Hospital in Naccache on Thursday after feeling ill.

Lebanese leaders on Friday hailed late Saudi King Abdullah as an “Arab knight” and a “great friend” who supported Lebanon during tough times as the country observed a three-day mourning period.

“Lebanon lost a helper and supporter,” Prime Minister Tammam Salam said.