Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam has run into “the demands of all political forces” and his problem is not only about reaching an agreement with the Shiite Duo, al-Jadeed TV has reported.

Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam has announced that the government formation process is moving forward with “firm steps” and that he is “tirelessly” working with President Joseph Aoun to form a new cabinet without delay.

Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister announced plans to visit Lebanon this week, which would mark the first such trip in years amid strained relations between the two countries.

Speaking at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan hailed Lebanon’s recent political breakthroughs as “extremely positive.”

Hezbollah’s official for the West Bekaa region, Sheikh Mohammad Hamadi, was assassinated Tuesday evening by unknown gunmen, the state-run National News Agency said.

President Joseph Aoun stressed Tuesday that “Lebanon insists on the completion of the Israeli withdrawal from the territory that remains occupied in the south within the deadline specified in the agreement that was reached on November 27.”

Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam has asked the parliamentary blocs to provide him with the CVs of their miniter picks for the new government, media reports said.

The European Union on Tuesday announced a 60 million euro ($62 million) support package for Lebanon's armed forces, as the crisis-hit country seeks to implement a fragile truce between Israel and Hezbollah.

A meeting Monday of the ceasefire monitoring committee witnessed a negative atmosphere that does not indicate that Israel intends to withdraw from south Lebanon by the weekend, when the 60-day timeframe expires, al-Akhbar newspaper reported on Tuesday.

The Lebanese Forces on Tuesday denied a media report claiming that it is seeking to be allotted the energy portfolio in the new government in order to “defeat the Free Patriotic Movement.”

“This report is totally baseless, because the LF has never demanded the energy portfolio and is not negotiating on the basis of defeating or supporting anyone, but rather on the basis of the higher national interest, which requires moving forward with the (president’s) inaugural address and the (prime minister-designate’s) appointment speech,” the LF said.

Hezbollah and the Amal Movement have handed Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam the names of their minister picks in the new government and consultations will be held over the nominations, the pro-Hezbollah al-Akhbar newspaper reported on Tuesday.