Hezbollah on Thursday hit back at betrayal accusations by Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil, noting that it had not promised anyone that “the caretaker cabinet would not convene except after all its components agree on the meeting.”

“We do not want to engage in a debate with any of our friends, although a lot of what was mentioned in (ex-)Minister Bassil’s remarks requires a discussion. However, we find ourselves concerned with commenting on two issues in light of the need to clarify them to the public opinion,” Hezbollah’s media relations unit said in a statement.

Parliament failed Thursday for the ninth time to elect a new president, amid high tensions between the two allies Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement.

Thirty nine blank votes were cast and thirty nine MPs voted for MP Michel Mouawad.

Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested Wednesday that the Kremlin's offensive in Ukraine might have become a "lengthy process," noting that Moscow would not use nuclear arms unless it comes under an attack of the same type.

Putin, however, praised Moscow's territorial gains.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Wednesday noted that “Lebanon is suffering from the absence of an authority that can take decisive resolutions, which generated several authorities and influential figures.”

Hezbollah had promised the Free Patriotic Movement that it would not take part in Monday’s cabinet session but it did not honor its pledge, MP Ghassan Atallah of the FPM said on Wednesday.

Caretaker Industry Minister George Boujikian has been dismissed from the Armenian parliamentary bloc, following a cabinet session that he attended despite his bloc's decision to boycott.

Boujikian had attended Monday a caretaker cabinet session, despite a declared Free Patriotic Movement boycott and a decision by the Tashnag party not to attend.

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil on Tuesday blasted Hezbollah, caretaker PM Najib Mikati and other parties over the caretaker cabinet session that was held on Monday, threatening to seek "broad administrative decentralization" should the other forces continue with the same course.

The Finance and Budget parliamentary committee, headed by MP Ibrahim Kanaan, convened Tuesday to discuss circulars and decisions issued by Finance Minister Youssef Khalil.

After listening to the minister, the committee decided to delay the implementation of two salary taxes resolutions.

Tashnag Secretary-General Hagop Pakradounian slammed Tuesday caretaker Industry Minister George Boujikian for defying the Tashnag Party.

Boujikian had attended Monday a caretaker cabinet session, despite a declared Free Patriotic Movement boycott and a decision by the Tashnag party not to attend.

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against Mount Lebanon Prosecutor Judge Ghada Aoun over a tweet alleging that Swiss banks had frozen accounts belonging to Jumblat and other Lebanese political figures.