Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat on Tuesday lamented that the Arab countries have “abandoned” Lebanon due to “the absurd statements of top leaders against the Gulf countries.”

“Amid this suffocating social and economic crisis that Lebanon is going through, today we are bearing the price of the Arab countries’ abandonment of us,” Jumblat tweeted.

A high-level Saudi delegation has visited the Élysée Palace to strengthen the strategic partnership in the Lebanese affairs, al-Jadeed TV said.

The channel said Tuesday that in late February, French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian had talked with his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan about the situation in Lebanon.

Former prime minister Saad Hariri on Tuesday denied a media report claiming that he has sent an admonishing message to Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Daryan over his “siding with” ex-PM Fouad Saniora in his endeavor to “inherit the House of Hariri and al-Mustaqbal Movement.”

“In line with its habit of fabricating news, al-Akhbar newspaper today published a report that is full of lies about what it called ‘an admonishing message from Hariri to the Grand Mufti,’” Hariri’s press office said in a statement.

Mount Lebanon Prosecutor Judge Ghada Aoun has frozen the assets of five of Lebanon's largest banks and those of their board of directors as she investigates possible transfers of billions of dollars aboard during the country's economic meltdown.

The state-run National News Agency said the decision covers real estate, vehicles and shares that the five banks or their directors own in other companies.

Today, Tuesday, doors will close for candidacy for the parliament elections on May 15.

A low turnout is expected in the Sunni community, as former prime minister Saad Hariri's political exit created a vacuum and a need for a new mantle.

Lebanon, facing skyrocketing food and fuel prices amid an unprecedented economic crisis exacerbated by the Russian war, is now seeing its breadbasket “being bombed.”

The United Nations chief has warned that the war on Ukraine is holding “a sword of Damocles” over the global economy, especially poor developing countries.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati officially announced Monday that he will not run for the upcoming parliamentary elections, as he called for heavy participation in the polls.

“Because I believe in the inevitability of change and in the need to make way for the new generation… I announce that I will not nominate myself for the parliamentary elections, wishing success for everyone,” Miqati said in a televised address.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri stressed Monday emphasized that the parliamentary elections will be held on time on May 15, as he warned of foreign attempts to “change Lebanon’s identity” through the elections.

“We stress that the elections will be held on May 15 after the fall of all the amendment, postponement and procrastination attempts,” Berri said in a televised address to announce Amal Movement’s candidates for the elections.

The Islamic State had planned to assassinate French President Emmanuel Macron during a visit to Lebanon in September 2020, al-Akhbar newspaper reported on Monday.

The daily said it has learned that the IS group had also been planning to assassinate ex-Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil.

On March 14, that marks the date of the anti-Syrian 2005 Cedar Revolution, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea launched the LF's electoral campaign.

"We want and we can" Geagea said, urging the Lebanese to vote for the LF, after a series of teasing billboards said that "some can but don't want to," and "some want to but can't."