The Israeli army dropped leaflets on parts of south Lebanon on Friday for the first time since the Israel-Hamas war began, warning residents not to help Hezbollah, inhabitants said.

Since October 8, the day after the Israel-Hamas war started, the frontier between Lebanon and Israel has seen deadly exchanges of fire, mainly between the Israeli army and the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement, which says it is acting in support of Hamas.

Diplomacy is the best way to deal with the threat Hezbollah poses to Israel from its northern border with Lebanon, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters in Tel Aviv on Friday.

“We also believe that the threat can be dealt with through diplomacy and does not require the launching of a new war,” Sullivan said.

Retired members of the armed forces protested Friday their low salaries at Beirut's Riad al-Solh Square, blocking the road leading to the Grand Serail ahead of a cabinet session at the Serail in downtown Beirut.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati postponed the session to Tuesday due to a lack of quorum, as some ministers couldn't reach the Grand Serail and the Free Patriotic Movement ministers boycotted the session.

Hezbollah fired Friday heavy-caliber Burkan rockets at the al-Jirdah Israeli post as Israeli shelling hit at least 10 southern Lebanese border towns.

Hezbollah also targeted the Bayyad Blida Israeli post and Israeli forces at the Mattat and the Ramim barracks, "inflicting deaths and injuries."

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil on Friday accused caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati of seeking to violate the constitution and the law and MPs of seeking to “legislate in favor of a single person,” in reference to efforts to extend the term of Army chief Joseph Aoun.

France's foreign minister travels to Lebanon on Saturday as part of diplomatic efforts by President Emmanuel Macron's government to help contain the Middle East conflict.

Fears of a widening war have been growing, with Iran-backed groups targeting U.S. and allied forces in Iraq and Syria, and daily exchanges of fire along Israel's border with Lebanon.

During a meeting to discuss security on the Lebanese-Syrian border, British Ambassador to Lebanon Hamish Cowell expressed his condolences for the death of a Lebanese soldier in Lebanon last week and called for the restoration of calm on the Blue Line.

Leading international ratings agency Moody's has affirmed the Government of Lebanon's issuer rating at C and has changed the outlook to stable from no outlook.

Each day the Gaza war continues, the ripple effect to neighboring Arab countries will have lasting socioeconomic setbacks, two U.N. agencies have warned.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea no longer expects anything from France or the U.S.

In an interview with French weekly news magazine Valeurs actuelles, Geagea said that France supported Hezbollah's presidential candidate, which he finds "unacceptable."