Christian Turner, recently appointed as the UK’s next Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, has concluded a two-day visit to Lebanon, the British embassy said on Wednesday. This is part of his regional engagement ahead of assuming his new role in January.

Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal on Wednesday began a visit to Qatar at the invitation of his Qatari counterpart Lieutenant General Jassim bin Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Mannai.

A Lebanese Army statement said the visit aims to “boost cooperation between the Lebanese and Qatari armies in light of the current challenges.”

As the Lebanese government aims to disarm Hezbollah under U.S. pressure, the army is expected to fully clear a stretch along the Lebanon-Israel border, defined as south of the Litani river, by the end of November before moving into further phases, reports said.

The Lebanese government first aimed to completely disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year, but officials later said resources are too limited to meet the deadline.

Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim Qassem said the 2024 war with Israel was “a difficult and very complicated battle.”

“Throughout 40 years, we had not faced such a big pressure and such a big danger, but thank God we emerged from this battle with strength, determination, firmness and continuity, and God willing we shall continue,” Qassem said in a message to an Iranian ceremony marking two years since Hamas’ October 7 attacks on Israel.

Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal presented to Cabinet a detailed briefing about the first phase of the army’s plan to monopolize arms in the country, LBCI television said.

“He mentioned that it includes three main points: monopolizing arms south of the Litani, containing weapons across Lebanon and controlling the Palestinian camps, which means closing the gaps in the camps and limiting entry and exit to entrances controlled by the army,” LBCI added.

Druze leader and former chief of the Progressive Socialist Party Walid Jumblat held talks Tuesday with President Joseph Aoun in what he described as a "friendly" meeting.

"The visit was friendly and reassuring despite all the campaigns that are raising doubts," Jumblat said as he left the Baabda palace.

Two people were killed Tuesday in Israeli strikes that targeted the southern towns of Yater and Deir Aames, with Israel saying it had targeted members of Hezbollah.

One person was killed and another wounded in an Israeli drone strike on a car in Deir Aames.

Cabinet on Monday decided to keep the army's report on its arms monopoly plan confidential and to keep receiving monthly reports, as it suspended the license of the Hezbollah-linked Rissalat art association pending the end of investigations over its role in the illumination of the Raouche Rock with images of slain leaders Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine.

Interior Minister Ahmad al-Hajjar said the suspension idea came from Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. The minister had requested that the association's license be revoked.

Hezbollah has voiced support for “the stance taken by the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas in coordination and consultation with the rest of the Palestinian resistance factions regarding Trump’s plan to halt the Israeli war on Gaza.”

In a statement, Hezbollah said Hamas’ stance stems out of “extreme keenness on stopping the brutal Israeli aggression against our people in the Gaza Strip.”

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has said that “foiling strife cannot occur at the expense of enforcing the law,” in reference to the latest controversy over Hezbollah’s illumination of the iconic Raouche Rock with images of its slain leaders Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine.