General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim flew back from the United States on Friday after holding talks with a number of US officials, the General Security Directorate said in a statement.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned two members of Hizbullah’s Central Council, Nabil Qaouk and Hassan al-Baghdadi, it said in a press release on Friday.

Qaouk and Baghdad “are responsible for creating and implementing the terrorist organization’s destabilizing and violent agenda against U.S. interests and those of our partners around the world,” said Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin.

Media office of the Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil denied on Friday the Israeli reports claiming the lawmaker had held sea border talks with Israeli officials.

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri hinted Thursday that he intends to cooperate with all parties in the coming period.

“If the country’s interest requires an understanding with everyone, then the country’s interest should come first,” Hariri told reporters.

Saad Hariri's supporters fired celebratory gunfire in the northern city of Tripoli on Thursday after he was named as prime minister-designate.

A medical source told AFP the shooting wounded three including an elderly man and someone cleaning in front of his shop.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Thursday expressed “optimism” about cooperation between President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri in the coming period.

“The atmosphere is optimistic between President Michel Aoun and PM-designate Saad Hariri,” Berri told reporters while leaving the Baabda Palace.

UNIFIL on Thursday observed United Nations Day at its headquarters in south Lebanon, with its head reaffirming the U.N. Mission's "commitment to maintain the cessation of hostilities between Lebanon and Israel while allowing space for a long-term solution of the conflict between the two countries," the U.N. force said.

“In reaffirming UNIFIL’s commitment to maintain and solidify the cessation of hostilities, I urge all of you to keep working with the utmost dedication and towards sustained peace for south Lebanon,” said the UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Stefano Del Col, during the U.N. Day ceremony attended by UNIFIL personnel and local dignitaries.

After his designation to form the new government on Thursday, Premier-designate Saad Hariri held protocol consultations with ex-PMs Salim Hoss, Najib Miqati, Fouad Saniora, Tammam Salam and Hassan Diab.

A statement issued by Hariri’s press office said the consultations were held over the phone for security reasons.

Do not count on “miracles, foreign elections or external donors – the rescue must start in Lebanon, by Lebanon,” U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jan Kubis said Thursday, shortly after ex-PM Saad Hariri was named to form a new government.

“No country, moreover #Lebanon in catastrophic freefall can survive endlessly without an effective pro-reform government as the only way to start rescuing the country and its people from further collapse, from chaos and extremism,” Kubis tweeted.

Lebanon's president asked former premier Saad Hariri to form the country's next government Thursday after he secured enough votes from lawmakers - bringing back an old name to lead the country out of its dire political and economic crises.

Hariri resigned from the post a year ago amid nationwide protests by a public angered by widespread corruption, mismanagement of resources and a flunking economy. In the year since, Lebanon's currency sank, losing nearly 80% of its value, while prices, unemployment and inflation soared. Lebanese have been unable to access their savings, as banks imposed informal capital controls fearing a run on deposits.