Caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said Friday, after he met with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, that the Lebanese government supports a joint statement by the United States, Egypt and Qatar, calling on Israel and Hamas to return to the negotiating table.

The foreign powers involved in brokering a possible cease-fire aimed at halting the fighting in Gaza and releasing Israeli hostages have jointly appealed to Israel and Hamas to return to the negotiating table next week.

Two people were killed on Friday morning in an Israeli drone strike on the coastal border town of al-Naqoura in south Lebanon, with Hezbollah announcing the death of two of its fighters "on the road to Jerusalem".

Later during the day, Israeli warplanes raided a forest between Kfarkela and Deir Mimas. The region was also targeted by artillery shells.

An Israeli drone targeted Thursday a car between the southern towns of al-Jebbayn and Yarine, wounding three people.

Hezbollah, for its part, targeted al-Malkia with artillery shells and a group of soldiers in the al-Marj post with a suicide drone.

MP Simon Abi Ramia of the Strong Lebanon bloc on Wednesday announced his resignation from “the organizational structure of the Free Patriotic Movement.”

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea overnight said he expresses “the deepest sentiments of sympathy with the Lebanese southerners, especially the residents of border villages.”

Two people were killed and six others were injured as Hezbollah and Israel traded fire Wednesday, a day after six Hezbollah fighters were killed in south Lebanon and several were injured in north Israel.

A drone struck a vehicle in the southern village of Jwayya in the Tyre district and Israeli artillery shelled al-Jebbayn, Mhaybib, Zebqine and al-Naqoura. The health ministry said the strike on a motorcycle in Jwayya killed two people, and injured six others.

Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Tuesday stressed that his group will respond to Israel’s killing of its military chief Fouad Shukur “whatever the consequences may be.”

The British Embassy Beirut announced Tuesday that applications for the UK Government’s flagship Chevening Scholarships program are now open. Applicants should apply online via www.chevening.org/apply by 5 November 2023.

Caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib on Tuesday said the Lebanese government is trying to prevent Hezbollah from launching a harsh response against Israel that might trigger a wide war.

Hezbollah attacked Tuesday with an array of suicide drones an Israeli town near the border between Akka and Nahariya, wounding at least seven people, in response to the killing of one of its fighters in an Israeli airstrike.

Sirens sounded in Nahariya before a loud blast was heard and smoke began rising from an intersection. Earlier, an Associated Press reporter saw a drone flying over the city. The reporter later saw emergency crews rushing to the scene.