The Israeli air force said it carried out its first air strikes on neighboring Lebanon in seven years Thursday following a second day of rocket fire across the border.

The French presidency said an international conference on Lebanon has gathered over $357 million in aid required to meet the country's humanitarian needs, one year after the massive explosion at Beirut's port.

Wednesday's virtual conference, co-hosted by France and the United Nations, was meant to show support for the Lebanese people, French President Emmanuel Macron said.

Thousands of grief-stricken Lebanese on Wednesday marked a year since a cataclysmic explosion ravaged Beirut, protesting impunity over the country's worst peacetime disaster at a time when its economy was already in tatters.

Not far from a somber remembrance service being held at the "ground zero" site of the blast, a group of protesters scuffled with riot police near the entrance to parliament, whose members have been accused of stalling a probe into the disaster.

American President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday, at the virtual conference held in support of Lebanon a humanitarian aid worth $100 million, on top of an amount of approximately $560 million that Washington has provided as a humanitarian aid over the past years.

The Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations Amina Mohammed also spoke at the conference, urging Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati to form a government quickly and stressing that Lebanon is experiencing one of the most terrible crises at the economic, educational and infrastructure levels.

Protesters scuffled with the army Wednesday in the Zouk Mosbeh area after troops arrested a man whose car contained a box of 9mm bullets, TV networks said.

President Michel Aoun, said in an English-language speech at the virtual conference held in support of Lebanon on Wednesday that “the quest for truth and full justice is still the claim of every Lebanese and a self-evident right, especially for those who were inflicted loss at heart.”

Aoun urged for justice in the probe and trials, stating that he has already “committed before the Lebanese to serve justice and hold accountable everyone whose involvement is proven by the investigation.”

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday at a donor conference held on the first anniversary of the Beirut port blast that France will donate more than 100 million euros in emergency aid for Lebanon.

He also said at the start of the U.N.-backed donor conference, which he is chairing over a video link-up with several world leaders, that the “Lebanese leaders owe the people the truth.”

Israel fired artillery shells into southern Lebanon on Wednesday after two rockets landed in the Israeli settlement of Kiryat Shmona near Lebanon's border.

"Three rockets were fired from Lebanon into Israeli territory," the Israeli army said in a statement, adding that one had fallen short of the border.

Pope Francis returned to work full-time on Wednesday following a colon operation, urging the international community to help a struggling Lebanon.

The 84-year-old took time to bless children and pose for selfies in the Vatican at the weekly general audience one month to the day after the delicate operation, which saw him hospitalized for over a week.

Today is Wednesday, Aug. 4, the 216th day of 2021. There are 149 days left in the year.

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