A heated debate took place on Thursday between MPs belonging to Hizbullah and the Mustaqbal Movement during a meeting for the defense and interior parliamentary committee, during which Mustaqbal's MPs demanded clarifications on the army's role in the Abra clashes.

"We are the army, well-known for our discipline and professionalism, we only act according to the requirements of the security situation and our only objective is to protect the country and prevent civil strife," caretaker Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn told reporters after taking part in the meeting at Nejmeh Square.

The Jaafar clan of Hermel on Wednesday announced that the bodies of two of its members who had gone missing in Syria two months ago have been found.

The clan identified the two men as Ahmed Youssef Jaafar and Mohammed Mahdi Jaafar.

The March 14 General Secretariat condemned on Wednesday the blast that took place in the Bir al-Abed neighborhood in Beirut's southern suburbs on Tuesday.

It said in a statement after its weekly meeting: “We have long warned of the consequence of Hizbullah's fighting Syria.”

Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awadh Asiri stressed on Tuesday the kingdom's “unwavering” support for Lebanon, saying that the country does not meddle in Lebanese affairs.

He said: “We urge political powers in Lebanon to resume dialogue in order to resolve disputes.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was on Monday due to seek Italy's help in putting Hizbullah on a European Union list of “terrorist” organizations.

Ahead of talks with his Italian counterpart Enrico Letta, Netanyahu told reporters that Hizbullah is one of the most "pre-eminent terrorist organizations of our time," adding that the group currently poses the most immediate security threat to Israel, in remarks carried by the website of The Jerusalem Post.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns on Monday wrapped up an official visit to Lebanon after meeting with President Michel Suleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati.

Burns also met with Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji, Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat and former premier Fouad Saniora, head of al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc.

Divisions have emerged between Hizbullah and the Free Patriotic Movement over the extension of the term of Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji, reported the daily An Nahar on Saturday.

It said that while FPM leader MP Michel Aoun had voiced his rejection to the extension, Hizbullah had never made such a position.

Iraqi Shiite Muslims are fighting in Syria alongside troops of President Bashar Assad, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said on Friday, while insisting this was not the policy of the Shiite-led Baghdad government.

"I do not deny that Iraqi Shiite fighters are participating in combat in Syria, just as Sunnis from the Gulf are doing in that country," he said in remarks published by pan-Arab daily al-Hayat.

Former Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi on Wednesday accused Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh of supporting the mainly Alawite Tripoli neighborhood of Jabal Mohsen with weapons, criticizing Hizbullah's behavior during the Sidon clashes.

“There is nothing called leaders of frontiers and Tripoli's residents will always count on the state and its institutions,” Rifi said in an interview on Future TV.

A Lebanese bank accused of laundering money from drugs and other operations for clients tied to Hizbullah agreed Tuesday to pay U.S. authorities $102 million to settle the charges.

Beirut-based Lebanese Canadian Bank was singled out in February 2011 for allegedly moving hundreds of millions of dollars for criminal groups and traffickers operating in Latin America, West Africa and the Middle East.