Today's L'Orient editorial is wild with rage about the French mediation:

«Worse, for the sake of sacrosanct “realism”, [France] now openly supports the candidacy of Frangieh to the presidency of the Republic. [...] But how could Emmanuel Macron, who last December still called on the Lebanese to “change leadership” and to “clear off the leaders who block reforms”, find himself being the one to “sell” the Hezbollah candidate to the Saudis and to a large part of the Lebanese political spectrum?

«France believes that to allow the arrival of Nawaf Salam (reformist) to the post of Prime Minister, it is necessary to make concessions [...]. Lebanon today is stuck between two vetoes: that of Hezbollah (and Iran) and that of the Saudi kingdom. [...] The first can hurt, the second can alleviate the suffering.»

⋯ L'Orient-Today is a “liberal” newspaper aligned with the 14-March coalition (that includes the Lebanese Forces party)

Minister of Interior Bassam Mawlawi gave the dates of the next municipal elections:

⬥ May 7 for North Lebanon and Akkar
⬥ May 14 for Mount Lebanon
⬥ May 21 for Beirut, the Beqaa, and Baalbek-Hermel
⬥ May 28 for South Lebanon and Nabatiyeh

These elections had been postponed for one year.

The judiciary is investigating the embezzlement of $318,000 at the Lebanese embassy in Ukraine, a judicial official said today (3 ⁠April).

Since September, suspicions of embezzlement have been surfacing, while the Foreign Ministry was working on reducing its missions' expenses. Preliminary investigations showed the money was taken from different funds, including “passport renewal fees”, and was transferred to a Ukrainian bank. Ambassador Ali Daher was interrogated several times, and suspended from work.

The co-founder of pro-revolution Megaphone News, Jean Kassir, has been summoned by the General Directorate of State Security tomorrow, at the request of Prosecutor-General Ghassan Oweidat.

It is related to a message from 1 ⁠March, titled “Lebanon is ruled by fugitives from justice”, in which Oweidat was mentioned (picture). Kassir will be “questioned”.

🚨 Syrian AD engaging targets amid an Israeli aggression on the vicinity of Damascus.

So far, several missiles have been intercepted.

⋯ Tonight's attack marks the 4th Israeli aggression on Syria in just 6 days.

The attacks are not a retaliation to the IED attack in northern Palestine nor the UAV infiltration.

They started before, and the above were part of repercussions, with minimal to no worth.

⋯ Several civilians were murdered in an airstrike that targetted a glass-making factory in Damascus.

⋯ Footage of the aftermath of the Israeli airstrike on the glass factory, where two civilians were murdered.

According to other videos, Israeli F-35 jets were used in the aggression, making it the second documented time they were spotted in action against Syria just this week.

This evening, Israeli forces stormed Al-Aqsa's courtyard and mosque to forcefully expel the Palestinians gathered there.

Most of their butality has been focused on clearing out the Al-Qibli prayer hall, where Palestinians have been resisting their attempts for hours now.

⋯ Footage of worshippers attempting to fend of occupation forces amid the latter's violent assault on Al-Qibli prayer hall.

⋯ Horrifying footage of Israeli forces brutally assaulting worshippers inside Al-Qibli prayer hall.

⋯ Footage of a Palestinian man screaming in pain after being injured as a result of the occupation's onslaught on Al-Aqsa.

Tonight's scenes are reminiscent of the Israeli campaign on al-Aqsa in the Ramadan of 2021, which provoked the Battle of the Sword of Jerusalem.

🚨Red Alert issued in Sderot and its surroundings.

⋯ A barrage of rockets was launched from the Gaza Strip towards adjacent settlements.