Israel’s ambassador to the United States said Thursday the two countries are in talks about extending the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon as a deadline in the ceasefire approaches. Michael Herzog said in an interview with Israeli Army Radio that he believed Israel would "reach an understanding" with the Trump administration to extend the necessary time for the Lebanese Army to truly deploy and fulfill its role under the agreement.

Foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan became the most senior Saudi Arabian official to visit Beirut in more than a decade on Thursday, marking the kingdom’s attempt to rebuild relations with Lebanon after the country elected a new president.

Saudi Arabia’s top diplomat has visited Lebanon for the first time in a decade following years of strained relations between the oil-rich kingdom and the tiny Mediterranean country