Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Friday called on Speaker Nabih Berri to schedule parliamentary sessions aimed at discussing the current Israel-Hezbollah escalation and electing a new president for the country.

U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said overnight that he is open to talks with Iran on a new version of the landmark nuclear agreement he scrapped as president.

The UK is providing £5 million to UNICEF in Lebanon to support humanitarian response efforts and enable UNICEF to distribute supplies to those in need, the British embassy said on Friday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said overnight that Israel "shares the aims" of a U.S.-led initiative for achieving a ceasefire on Lebanon, after remarks by him and other Israeli officials appeared to pour cold water on the proposal hours earlier.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati has said that he has done “everything necessary to protect Lebanon” in the face of Israel’s escalation, noting that foreign and Arab powers have supported Lebanon’s stance.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Thursday that he has approved more “offensive operations” in Lebanon, together with the army chief, the head of the intelligence division and the head of the army’s operations division.

The diplomatic efforts are advancing and expect a Lebanon-Israel ceasefire soon, sources informed on the negotiations in New York told Lebanon’s MTV on Thursday.

The Biden administration is working on a new diplomatic initiative for a "pause" in the fighting in Lebanon and a resumption of negotiations on a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal, two U.S. officials, one Israeli official and two sources with direct knowledge told U.S. news portal Axios.

Israel’s Northern Command chief General Ori Gordin inspected an army exercise on Lebanon’s border on Tuesday and said troops there “must prepare very strongly to move to a ground maneuver.”

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri revealed to Asharq al-Awsat newspaper on Wednesday that he is carrying out “serious efforts” with international parties, including the U.S., to halt the ongoing Israeli escalation against Lebanon.