The following are summaries of today's major stories published in the Arabic press. LBCI does not edit press digest articles for content, giving English-language readers insight into the various views expressed in newspapers across the Arab world.
MP Emil Rahme praised the military operation carried out by the Lebanese army in the mountainous region of Arsal on Thursday, adding that “the army forces have been reacting to attacks, but now they are acting to expand the area under their control in order to protect the region.”
However, he stressed that in order to eradicate the threat of the terrorists from the border regions, the Lebanese army has to cooperate with the Syrian army, urging the political forces to put aside their differences and agree upon cooperation in this regard.
In a statement to al-Joumhouria daily, Rahme noted that “the threat posed by the terrorist in the Lebanese-Syrian border region is menacing both sides, which makes it imperative to reach an agreement to save the Lebanese people.”
Prime Minister Tammam Salam stressed that he has been holding talks with political forces to discuss the cabinet’s work mechanism, in a bid to manage the interests of the Lebanese state and people, noting that should the obstruction continue, the country is bound to an unknown fate.
In a statement to as-Safir daily, Salam said that he has not yet reached a solution concerning the work mechanism, stressing the need for the parties to assume their responsibilities in this regard.
An-Nahar daily reported that the United Stated Treasury Department placed sanctions on an Africa-based Hezbollah support network.
Treasury said it targeted brothers Mustapha Fawaz and Fouzi Fawaz, as well as Abdallah Tahini, all of whom are Lebanese-born men based in Nigeria, with sanction designations.
It also placed sanctions on a holding company, a supermarket and an amusement park in Nigeria controlled by the aforementioned people.
The Treasury claimed in the statement that Mustapha Fawaz has been “a significant donor” to Hezbollah, and that he had solicited donations in Abuja, Nigeria, helping transfer them to Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Military sources stressed that the situation in the mountainous region of Ras Baalbek is “very critical,” noting that the military operation launched by the Lebanese army on Thursday has not yet ended.
In a statement to al-Akhbar daily, the sources said that the armed groups located in these regions were subject to a severe blow and sustained huge losses, whether human casualties or material losses.