Air France will resume service to Beirut this Saturday, initially with five weekly flights, the airline announced. Transavia, the low cost subsidiary of the Air France-KLM group, will resume its flights to the Lebanese capital on February 13,

French President Emmanuel Macron called on Israel on Friday to accelerate its troop withdrawal from southern Lebanon, as a deadline nears for the pullout under the terms of a ceasefire that ended the war with Hezbollah last year.

New developments following the election of Western-backed Joseph Aoun as president perhaps offer hope for generating political momentum and restoring the international community's confidence in Lebanon.

France's President Emmanuel Macron was in Lebanon on Friday, where he was due to meet his newly-elected counterpart and offer support to leaders seeking to open a new chapter in their country's

The ceasefire in Lebanon is a throwback to 2006, when the national Lebanese army was supposed to defang Hezbollah and chart a new course for the land

French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Beirut Friday morning to meet new Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam, an AFP journalist saw.

Lebanese Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced, Friday, that French President Emmanuel macron has expressed readiness to support Lebanon through a trust fund. The Lebanese government plans to establish that trust fund in cooperation with the World bank for reconstruction of southern Lebanon.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, right, shakes hands with French President Emmanuel Macron after their news conference at the presidential palace in Baabda, in east of Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Jan. 17,

US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff began his visit to the region on Wednesday amid negotiations to begin the second phase of the truce between Israel and Hamas.

An array of domestic and foreign powers are vying for influence in Lebanon, including the Lebanese Armed Forces, Hezbollah, Israel, Iran, Syria, and the United States.

Firing by Israeli troops killed two people and wounded 17 on Monday in the second day of deadly protests in southern Lebanon, health officials said, as residents displaced by the 14-month war between Israel and Hezbollah attempted to return to villages where Israeli troops remain.

Israel forces killed three Lebanese civilians and wounded 17 others who were trying to return to homes in south Lebanon where Israeli troops remained on the ground after a deadline for their withdrawal passed. Details by FRANCE 24 correspondent in Beirut, Rawad Taha.