Videos of at least three army soldiers crying or hugging protesters went viral on Wednesday as troops moved in to reopen key highways, scuffling with demonstrators in some regions.

Live TV footage showed hundreds of protesters trying to stand their ground to prevent the army from reopening the key Jal el-Dib and Zouk highways.

Municipal policemen on Wednesday assaulted protesters in the southern city of Nabatiyeh and prevented TV reporters and cameramen from continuing coverage.

“Protesters in Nabatiyeh are urging the army to intervene after municipal police elements tried to disperse their sit-in,” al-Jadeed TV reported.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara el-Rahi raised calls Wednesday upon President Michel Aoun to start consultations with the political and spiritual leaders "to make the necessary decisions regarding the demands of people" with whom he expressed solidarity.

Mount Lebanon State Prosecutor, Judge Ghada Aoun, on Wednesday pressed charges against former prime minister Najib Miqati, 63, his son Maher and his brother Taha, as well as against Bank Audi, for illicit enrichment, the National News Agency reported.

NNA said Mikati and others are charged for obtaining housing loans subsidized by the Central Bank of Lebanon.

Anti-government protesters scuffled with army troops on Wednesday in Jal el-Dib and Zouk Mosbeh areas amid attempts to reopen major roads as the country witnesses nationwide protests against the political class

An emergency Christian spiritual summit was held in Bkirki on Wednesday amid nationwide protests spiraling for the seventh day in a row against the entire political class.

An Israeli drone was downed on Wednesday at Fatima Gate in the southern Lebanese town of Kfar Kila.

The State-run National News Agency said the drone was shot down by a man using a hunting rifle near the border village of Kfar Kila.

The 1989 Taef accords led to the end of Lebanon's civil war but have since become a by-word for the kind of sectarian-based governance that many protesters feel needs to be scrapped.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri held talks Tuesday at the Grand Serail with the International Support Group for Lebanon, which included the ambassadors of the U.S., Russia, France, the UK, Germany, Italy, and the EU as well as the Chinese charge d’affaires the U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon, and the Arab League representative.

“Prime Minister Hariri informed the ambassadors about the serious reform overdue measures taken yesterday by the government, be it as a part of the draft 2020 budget to be adopted within the constitutional deadline, or outside the budget,” an English-language statement released by Hariri’s office quoted U.N. Special Coordinator Jan Kubis as saying after the meeting.

A number of Lebanese artists, actors and actresses on Tuesday stormed the building of Lebanon’s state-run television in Beirut over its failure to cover the protests that have been rocking the country for the past six days.

“The entire world is talking about this historic event. It is unacceptable for the national television to refrain from covering such an event,” prominent actor Badih Abou Chakra told reporters after entering the building.