The U.N.-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon confirmed Thursday that it has received Lebanon's share of its 2014 budget from the Lebanese government.

“The full sum of € 29,347,003.50, 49% of the Tribunal's budget, was transferred to the Tribunal's bank account this morning,” the STL said in a statement.

The army on Thursday arrested four people during raids in the town of al-Mhammara in the northern Akkar district, which has recently witnessed deadly clashes between troops and Islamist gunmen.

“Khaled Mohammed al-Shamali, Mahmoud Hussein Moussa, Ahmed Faraj al-Shamali and Faraj Mohammed al-Shamali were arrested in al-Mhammara for taking part in recent armed attacks against army troops,” the Army Command said in a communique.

Seventeen Syrians were charged on Thursday with belonging to an armed terrorist group, reported the National News Agency.

It said that State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr charged them with belonging to a terrorist organization in order to carry out attacks in Lebanon.

General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim stressed the importance of national unity in confronting the dangers facing Lebanon.

He said in an interview with the General Security magazine: “Lebanon will emerge victorious in its existential battle against organized terrorism.”

The General Security Intelligence Bureau raided two apartments inhabited by Syrians and detained several nationals, the state-run National News Agency reported on Thursday.

According to NNA, the first apartment lies in al-Saadiyat in the Shouf district, while the second in the area of Aramoun in Aley district.

An Israeli patrol crossed Lebanon's border and penetrated 50 meters into the outskirts of the southern town of Shebaa on Thursday, sparking a verbal dispute with peacekeepers from the Indian UNIFIL battalion who are positioned in the area.

“At 9:30 am, an Israeli enemy pedestrian patrol crossed the withdrawal line and penetrated 50 meters into the outskirts of the Jabal al-Shahel area in Shebaa inside Lebanese territory, before retreating to the occupied territories,” the Lebanese army said in a statement.

The Australian Foreign Affairs Ministry issued a travel advice, warning its nationals against heading to several areas in the Lebanon that have witnessed unrest, and saying the situation could deteriorate “quickly.”

The advice, which was issued late on Wednesday, urged nationals not to head to the northern coastal city of Tripoli, areas in north Lebanon, Sir al-Dinniyeh and the northeastern border town of Arsal, citing security fears.

Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi stressed on Thursday that the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and al-Qaida don't exist in Lebanon, ruling out that jihadists established an Islamic "emirate" in northern Lebanon.

“Daesh and al-Qaida don't exist in Lebanon,” Rifi said in an interview published in the Saudi newspaper Okaz, holding Hizbullah responsible for the negative impact of the Syrian crisis on Lebanon after its involvement in the war raging in the neighboring country.

The negotiations on the release of the policemen and soldiers kidnapped by Islamist gunmen in August are still in their early phase in light of the recent demands made by the al-Qaida-affiliated al-Nusra Front, reported al-Liwaa newspaper on Thursday.

An official source said that the negotiations are “positive, but no guarantees on their release are available.”

Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil reiterated the Change and Reform bloc's rejection of the extension of the term of parliament, warning that such a measure will only increase political tensions, reported the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat on Thursday.

He told the daily: “The extension will lead to more political instability.”