Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji stressed that terror threats in Lebanon are serious, and the latest attempted attack the neighborhood of Hamra, came because the Islamic State group is trying to make up for its defeats in the region and has asked its followers to strike back in Lebanon, An Nahar daily reported on Saturday.

The Lebanese Army has been expecting the IS to carry out an attack, because the group has been troubled with defeat in confrontation areas in the region and has therefore turned to the Lebanese arena and asked its followers to carry out attacks here, visitors to Qahwaji quoted him as saying.

Speaker Nabih Berri stressed on Saturday that the latest comments made by President Michel Aoun as for preferring vacuum at the parliament, has not offended him, al-Akhbar daily reported.

“I may disagree with the President over many issues, but I agree with him about the election law since before his election as president. I don't see any offense in his comments,” Berri told al-Akhbar.

President Michel Aoun stressed on Friday the need to approve a new electoral law that ensures just representation for all parties before the parliamentary polls deadline, the National News Agency reported.

Aoun assured that his stance was not against any sect or political faction, NNA added.

President Michel Aoun emphasized that warning to use his constitutional powers to obstruct the parliamentary elections if they were to be staged on basis of the controversial 1960 law is serious, and assured that he will not go against his oath of office, al-Akhbar daily reported on Friday.

In an interview with the daily, Aoun said he was decisive when he told the ministers during a cabinet session last week “what I stated in my inaugural speech, are words under oath that can not be undone.”

Hizbullah MP Ali Fayyad stressed that political forces in Lebanon are serious and eager to find an election law that will govern the parliamentary elections slated for May.

In an interview with al-Joumhouria daily, Fayyad said: “All parties are serious to find an election law. The meetings' atmospheres are constructive and serious. They reflect everybody's will to find a law as soon as possible. Our meetings are open.”

After the recent four-party meeting at the Baabda Palace which deliberated the controversial issue of an election law, Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat is watching with caution what outcome will these meetings bring, al-Joumhouria daily reported Friday.

“Jumblat is carefully watching the path of the election law. He still insists on his position which rejects any law that hints at an abolition, exclusion or marginalization of the Druze community,” sources close to Jumblat told the daily.

The cabinet held a meeting on Wednesday to tackle a number of issues, mainly Lebanon's security file in light of the latest threat of a suicide attacker that was foiled by the security forces over the weekend, as President Michel Aoun announced that he prefers "vacuum" over another extension of the parliament's term.

“If I'm to choose between the extension of parliament's term or vacuum, my stance is clear in this regard -- I will choose vacuum,” TV networks quoted Aoun as saying.

Leader of the Democratic Gathering bloc MP Walid Jumblat said he insists on “positive dialogue” as for discussions on a new electoral law for the parliamentary polls, and stressed that endorsing a new law is a delicate matter that requires “precision, patience and dialogue.”

Likening the electoral process to a medical operation, he said on Twitter: “The electoral law is a delicate operation. Its successfulness requires precision, patience, consultations and dialogue.”

French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron held talks with President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Tuesday and said his country needs a more "balanced" policy toward Syria.

After two days of search operations, the dead body of Lebanese citizen Majid Raji al-Hashem, 61, was found Tuesday buried in sand at a stone factory in the Jbeil town of Akoura, state-run National News Agency reported.