Lebanese leaders began consultations on Wednesday to form a new crisis government, with the majority of parliamentary blocs expressing uncommon willingness to drop demands for government portfolios.

Pope Francis used a first public audience in six months Wednesday to warn that Lebanon faces "extreme danger that threatens the very existence of the country" following last month's massive explosion.

The leader of the Catholic Church focused on the disaster-hit country almost a month after the huge blast in the Beirut harbor ripped through the city, killing 190 people and wounding at least 6,500.

Prime minister designate Mustafa Adib was to kick off talks Wednesday on forming Lebanon's crisis government within two weeks to begin enacting desperately needed reforms in the disaster-hit country.

Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker said in remarks to Saudi Asharq el-Awsat newspaper on Wednesday, that the United States and France are in “constant contact about Lebanon,” and are “very interested” in the Mediterranean country.

French President Emmanuel Macron gathered Tuesday evening with representatives of the country's top nine political blocs in the second such talks since the blast disaster. 

Representatives of Hizbullah, designated by the U.S. and European countries as a “terrorist” group, were among those meeting Macron. 

President Michel Aoun on Tuesday announced that he is committed to seeking the establishment of a “civil state” in Lebanon.

“I hope our pains will become a motivation pushing us to turn into a civil state, in which competency would be the standard and the law would be the guarantee for equal rights,” said Aoun in a speech at a Baabda lunch banquet thrown in the honor of visiting French President Emmanuel Macron.

All 25 suspects identified by a probe into the devastating August 4 Beirut explosion are now in the custody of Lebanese authorities, a judicial source told AFP on Tuesday.

Authorities had already detained 21 suspects over the portside blast, which killed more than 180 people, wounded at least 6,500 others and wreaked devastation across the capital.

Fierce clashes erupted Tuesday evening between security forces and anti-government protesters near parliament’s building in central Beirut.

The confrontations followed a peaceful larger rally at the nearby Martyrs Square where speeches were delivered by representatives of the protest movement against a ruling class seen as being responsible for the economic collapse and port explosion.

French President Emmanuel Macron issued a stern warning to Lebanon's political class Tuesday, urging them to commit to serious reforms within a few months or risk punitive action, including sanctions, if they fail to deliver.

Macron is on a two-day visit to Lebanon, marking the country's centenary and holding talks with officials on ways to help extract it from an unprecedented economic crisis and the aftermath of last month's massive blast that ripped through the capital Beirut.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday described Hizbullah as a representative of “a part of the Lebanese people,” as he denied being behind the nomination of Mustafa Adib for the PM post.

“I don’t know the man, who was designated following binding parliamentary consultations… and we hope he enjoys the needed competency,” Macron told reporters at the blast-hit Beirut port.