The chances of an Israeli aggression against Lebanon have become “minimal” due to the “political confusion” Israel is witnessing internally, and due to its will to protect its oil excavation platforms adjacent to Lebanon from any possible strike in case of an assault, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Tuesday.

A late night explosion in Beirut's neighborhood of Sabra-al-Rihab led to the fractional collapse of a building causing no casualties, the National News Agency reported on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri has met on Monday with visiting Armenian counterpart Karen Karapetyan at the Grand Serail, the National News Agency reported.

In joint press conference, Karapetyan affirmed “close ties and high-standard relations between Lebanon and Armenia.”

President Michel Aoun on Monday said that transforming the government institutions into a robust e-government program “prevents corruption and fraud.”

The Lebanese Forces is expected to declare the party's candidates and electoral program in the parliamentary elections on Wednesday, amid reports claiming that negotiations to strike a coalition with its once-ally al-Mustaqbal Movement still “suffer a setback,” al-Joumhouria daily reported on Monday.

“The LF negotiations with Mustaqbal are still facing a setback, but they are ongoing although their success chances are decreasing with regard to achieving the desired result in some districts,” LF sources told the daily.

Hizbullah Deputy Leader Sheikh Naim Qassem on Saturday said Hizbullah will always confront the “attempts of Israel and the United States to subordinate Lebanon” to its policies, affirming that Lebanon “can't be strong without Hizbullah.”

“Hizbullah is the pillar of modern Lebanon. Lebanon can't be strong and stable without this pillar which has become an integral part of building the institutions, drawing the future, maintaining independence and prevention of occupation,” said Qassem at a ceremony in Nabatieh.

The Internal Security Forces announced the arrest of two wanted drug dealers after thorough follow-up and monitoring, the ISF said in a statement on Saturday.

A patrol of the Anti-Narcotics Bureau arrested one of the suspects on Thursday. He was identified as Palestinian N.H. and is wanted on multiple drug and arson charges.

Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom agreed in a joint statement late on Friday “to work together to support Lebanon's government and to work together to counter Hizbullah's role,” in the region, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.

The statement was issued during the visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the UK at the invitation of the government of Queen Elizabeth II, said the news agency.

Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil said the ministerial committee's talks regarding the 2018 State budget were “consensual,” assuring that they managed to cut expenditures by more than 1,000 billion Lebanese pounds keeping the public debt unchanged, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Friday.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri chaired the meeting of the nine-member ministerial committee tasked with discussing the 2018 draft budget at the Grand Serail.

The session is expected to be the last one before the budget is referred to the Parliament.