Unknown assailants opened gunfire at a residential house in the Akkar town of Bebnine without causing any casualties, the state-run National News Agency reported on Saturday.

The gunmen opened fire at Abdul Karim al-Kassar's residence and managed to flee to an unknown destination, NNA added.

As efforts stall to find a new law that will govern Lebanon's upcoming parliamentary elections, Speaker Nabih Berri said the cabinet could approve the draft electoral law with two-thirds majority to be referred and approved in the parliament, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Saturday.

Taymour Jumblat, the son of influential Druze leader and Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat said he will run for Lebanon's upcoming parliamentary elections to prove “that the Druze community will stay and no electoral law is able to marginalize it,” the pan-Arab Asharq al-Awsat reported Saturday.

Taymour said he will lead a list of political mavens and old friends of his father in addition to candidates new on the political arena, added the daily.

Ambassadors of six countries, the United States and the European Union sounded the alarm over President Michel Aoun's latest statements about Hizbullah's arms, amid threats that the UNIFIL could withdraw its peacekeeping mission from south Lebanon, MTV reported on Friday.

A covert meeting was held on February 15 at the United Nations headquarters in Yarze. It included ambassadors of the International Support Group for Lebanon, the US, France, Britain, Germany, Italy and China in addition to the EU ambassador and Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General in Lebanon and Arab League Representative, MTV said.

Economy Minister Raed Khoury announced on Friday that the military and security appointments file was not finalized as yet although some progress was recorded, as he affirmed that budget discussions made a progress.

“The security and military appointments have not been resolved yet, but progress has been made in this file which is mainly the concern of the defense minister,” Khoury told VDL (93.3).

French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian is expected to visit Beirut in the next days, amid reports that France will provide Lebanon with military assistance after Saudi Arabia halted its grant last year, the pan-Arab al-Hayat daily reported on Friday.

The French minister's visit affirms that France is going to support Lebanon's military agencies after Saudi Arabia halted a Lebanese army grant in 2016, added the daily.

The cabinet is expected to pass the long-stalled 2017 state budget plan next Monday at the Baabda Palace, amid an overall agreement between political parties to hold another session on Wednesday to finalize the security and military appointments in six top positions, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Friday.

Wednesday's session will see the appointment of military and security officials.

Syrian warplanes on Thursday waged several raids on posts for the jihadist group Fateh al-Sham Front -- al-Qaida's former Syrian branch – near the Lebanese-Syrian border, media reports said.

The Free Patriotic Movement and the AMAL Movement are inclined to sign a memorandum of understanding that will turn the page on their years-long frosty relations, a media report said on Thursday.

UNRWA and UNICEF strongly condemned the armed violence in Ain el-Hilweh Palestine refugee camp in Sidon, southern Lebanon, which directly affects the safety and security of civilians, including children, a statement said on Wednesday.

“We deplore reports that at least eight civilians, including a thirteen year old boy and a United Nations (UNRWA) staff member, have been injured over the past days. We are deeply concerned that ongoing violence will result in further civilian casualties, including children,” the statement read.