Israel has entered into a state of maximum alert to confront Iranian threats amid tensions linked to a suspected Israeli attack on an Iranian nuclear facility and a suspected Iranian attack on an Israeli commercial ship, Al-Arabiya TV reported on Tuesday.

“Israeli media circles have said that the ship attack is the beginning of a series of Iranian attacks,” Al-Arabiya’s correspondent in Israel said.

An Israeli-owned commercial ship was attacked with a missile Tuesday near UAE’s Fujairah, Arab and Israeli media reports said.

Lebanon-based Al-Mayadeen television channel, which is close to Iran, identified the ship as the Bahamas-flagged Hyperion Ray, which is operated by Israeli firm Ray Shipping.

The efforts of Speaker Nabih Berri towards all parties are aimed at “reaching a government of independent, nonpartisan specialists according to the French initiative,” a pro-Berri MP has said.

The lawmaker, Ali Bazzi, added in an interview on al-Hurra TV that the so-called one-third-plus-one obstacle is still preventing a “breakthrough” in the crisis.

President Michel Aoun on Tuesday put on hold a decree expanding the sea area disputed with Israel, citing the need for a Cabinet meeting.

The decree was signed Monday by caretaker PM Hassan Diab and the caretaker ministers of public works and defense before being sent to the Presidency for an “extraordinary approval.”

The Central Bank governor Riad Salameh affirmed on Tuesday that "the central bank remains the last solid pillar for the country."

Diplomatic sources from the French capital reported that Paris is likely to issue imminent punitive steps against parties delaying the formation of a government in Lebanon, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Tuesday.

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri received an invitation from his Russian counterpart to visit Moscow, Hariri’s press office said in a statement.

The US State Department announced Monday it will send a senior official to voice the administration's "concern" over the worsening social and political situation in Lebanon.

Hizbullah and the Amal Movement held a consultative meeting Monday and discussed the various political files, topped by the file of the formation of a new government, a joint statement said.

The conferees stressed “the need to finalize the cabinet line-up as soon as possible,” adding that the formation of the new government would allow authorities to “address citizens’ issues and concerns.”

Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz on Monday warned that any “unilateral” Lebanese steps regarding the sea border demarcation will be met by “Israeli counter-steps,” shortly after a Lebanese minister said he had signed a decree that would increase the area claimed by Lebanon.