Prime Minister Saad Hariri is expected to embark on a tour to Gulf countries that will include Saudi Arabia, signaling a “diplomatic breakthrough” after strained ties between the Kingdom and Lebanon, the Kuwaiti newspaper al-Seyasah reported on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Hizbullah are reportedly trying to mediate a solution for the crisis that emerged between President Michel Aoun and Speaker Nabih Berri over the signing of a promotion of a number of officers, media reports said on Wednesday.

Al-Mustaqbal daily quoted ministerial sources who said that “Hariri is trying to coordinate a solution between Aoun and Berri and plans to visit Ain el-Tineh (Berri's residence) this week.”

Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Walid al-Yaacoub has presented a copy of his credentials to Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil in preparation for presenting them to President Michel Aoun, ending a diplomatic tussle over presentation with each country delaying accreditation of the other's diplomat.

Yaacoub presented his letters of credence to Bassil at the Foreign Ministry, the State-run National News Agency reported on Tuesday.

State Minister for Affairs of the Displaced Moein Merhebi said on Tuesday that the number of Syrian refugees in Lebanon has dropped in the last two years, stressing that maintaining monitoring and registration data facilitates the return of the displaced in the future.

Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea will reportedly announce some of the party's candidates in the Aley and Chouf district who will run in the upcoming parliamentary elections, the Saudi-owned daily Asharq al-Awsat reported Tuesday.

Lebanon's oil and gas sector file reportedly appears to be the basis for the emerging differences between President Michel Aoun and Speaker Nabih which surfaced shortly before the year's end under the controversial officers seniority decree, the Kuwaiti Al-Seyassah daily reported on Tuesday.

The daily claimed that the crisis between the two men goes far beyond the issue of the officers' decree, “the oil file with all its ramifications is the basis of the differences between Aoun and Berri,” it said.

Four people were lightly injured by celebratory gunfire on New Year’s Eve and a large number of shooters have been identified while two have been arrested, the Internal Security Forces announced on Monday.

President Michel Aoun on Monday called on Lebanese to show “solidarity” in the new year.

Hizbullah will not mediate between its allies President Michel Aoun and Speaker Nabih Berri in the ongoing spat over the controversial officers seniority decree, media reports said.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri is expected to visit Speaker Nabih Berri ahead of this week’s cabinet session in search of a solution to the crisis between the latter and the president, media reports said.