A senior Israeli military officer said Wednesday that the army believes Middle East's chaos has weakened the country's enemies, creating a low probability of war involving Israel in 2017.

A member of the extremist group Asbat al-Ansar was shot dead in Sidon's Palestinian refugee camp of Ain el-Hilweh on Wednesday, sparking violence that resulted in the death of two other people and the wounding of four others, the National News Agency reported.

At the junction of the camp's vegetable market, unknown gunmen opened fired at Samer Hmeid, also known as Samer Nejmeh, and the Palestinian Abed Saleh, which resulted in the death of Hmeid on the spot and the wounding of Saleh.

Following the recent assassination of the Russian ambassador in Turkey, the attack resonated in the capital Beirut and triggered some reactions where a group of youth wrote overnight slogans on the cement blocs surrounding the Russian embassy in Beirut's Corniche al-Mazraa area and managed to disappear, al-Joumhouria daily reported Wednesday.

A group of youth managed to sneak late on Tuesday and write slogans on the cement blocs around the embassy “denouncing the battle in Aleppo” and “declaring solidarity with the Syrian people and victims,” a security source told the daily on condition of anonymity.

Lebanon's council of ministers held its first meeting at the Presidential Palace in Baabda on Wednesday, after its formation over the weekend, and formed a committee designed to draft a new ministerial statement, media reports said.

The cabinet which brought together the entire political spectrum except for the Kataeb party, that rejected the portfolio it was offered, had a commemorative photo taken in the presence of the three senior officials President Michel Aoun, Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Saad Hariri.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri assumed his duties at the Grand Serail on Tuesday, two days after a new cabinet was lined-up.

Hariri arrived at noon at the Grand Serail and was welcomed by the Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers Fouad Fleifel, and senior government staff at the Grand Serail that lies in downtown Beirut .

British Minister for the Middle East Tobias Ellwood welcomed on Tuesday the formation of Lebanon's new cabinet reiterating the need to hold the parliamentary elections on time in line with international standards.

“I congratulate President Aoun and Prime Minister Hariri on the formation of Lebanon’s new cabinet. This is another important step forward for Lebanon, and I hope agreement of the cabinet further strengthens the trust and confidence of the Lebanese in their country’s political process,” a press statement said Tuesday.

The General Security arrested a Lebanese man suspected of having links to terror groups and of luring the youths through social media to work in their favor, LBCI reported Tuesday.

The suspect, who was identified by his initials as T.Sh, was subject to interrogations where he confessed to having ties to terror groups in Syria and of providing them with financial and logistical support under the guise of relief and humanitarian work, added LBCI.

Speaker Nabih Berri said on Tuesday that forming the cabinet reflects well on the overall situation in the country and added that the political parties must focus now on approving the state budget and devising a new electoral law, al-Joumhouria daily reported Tuesday.

Berri expressed content with lining up the cabinet, he told the daily: “The country is the sole winner here. There are no winners or losers.”

The Lebanese Armed Forces received on Monday an armed Cessna aircraft from the United States as part of a vital aspect of the cooperation between the two countries.

“U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Elizabeth Richard participated in a ceremony to celebrate the delivery of an armed Cessna aircraft to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), highlighting the U.S. commitment to Lebanon’s security,” a US embassy statement said.

The members of the International Support Group for Lebanon welcomed the cabinet formation and congratulated Prime Minister Saad Hariri and his cabinet, a statement said Monday.

“The members of the ISG hope that the positive momentum created with the election of a president and the formation of a government can be maintained and capitalized on. This is a much-needed opportunity for the Lebanese leadership to reactivate state institutions and fulfill the hopes and aspirations of the Lebanese people, by addressing the urgent challenges Lebanon faces,” said the statement.