"O groom of obedience, in our beloved homeland, the hour darkened; light the oil lamp amidst hope and anticipation for a future filled with 'global peace.' Church bells across various Lebanese regions rang in joy and supplication, coinciding with the unveiling of the mosaic of 'Saint Charbel' at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican - Rome.

From the hometown of Saint Charbel, Father Milad Mekhael, the pastor of Bqaakafra, expressed to 'Al-Joumhouria' that "Bqaakafra feels an increased sense of pride as today a son of this town is honored in the West for being a son of both this town and the East."

Amidst the continuous confrontation in the south, Israeli artillery relentlessly bombards, while reconnaissance warplanes fly without international accountability. The violations and attacks have forced the resilient to seek refuge in safer places. Consequently, airstrikes and artillery targeted houses in Kfar Kila and shells hit the outskirts of Rshaya Al-Fakhar, Al-Fardis, and Al-Habariyah. Israeli artillery also targeted the western outskirts of Mays Al-Jabal. Simultaneously, drones carried out six missile strikes between the towns of Tyre, Kounine, and Beit Yahoun in the Bint Jbeil district.

The National News Agency reported 12 Israeli airstrikes targeting Jabal Blat, forests near Ramia town, and Khallet Warda on the outskirts of Ayta Shaab. In response, Hezbollah announced targeting Israeli army concentrations between Samaka and Ramtha, near Khirbet Maar with a volcano rocket, and targeting a group of soldiers on Mount Nader.

Israeli Defense Minister stated that if the fighting continues in the south, it will extend to the northern borders, rejecting the current situation and threatening force if Hezbollah does not respect the safety of northern residents.

Hezbollah's Deputy Secretary-General, Sheikh Naim Qassem, affirmed that if Israel decides to expand aggression, it will face a significant setback, but if the current pace continues, they will persevere with the support they have.

Locally, Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri called for a general session to discuss and approve the 2024 budget next Wednesday and Thursday.

In the field of education, the Teachers' Syndicate in private schools threatened to strike starting next Tuesday if educational institutions do not reconsider their decision.

Regionally, on the 105th day of the devastating war in Gaza, with the Israeli bombardment toll rising to 24,762 casualties, the Israeli army intensified its attacks on the southern part of Gaza. Meanwhile, significant differences emerged between Israel and Washington regarding the establishment of a Palestinian state, expanding the conflict, reaching the shores of Yemen.

Witnesses reported gunfire and airstrikes in Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, where Israel claims many local leaders of Hamas are hiding.

The Palestinian Red Crescent reported intensive shelling around Al-Amal Hospital, while Hamas's Health Ministry confirmed 77 deaths and dozens of injuries.

For the fourth month, Israeli forces continued to prevent worshipers from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque, imposing a strict siege, alongside the blockade of the Old City, allowing entry only to residents, significantly reducing the number of worshipers.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the 'brave decision' of Chile and Mexico to refer the situation in Palestine to the International Criminal Court, emphasizing the urgent need for the court to deter serious crimes in Palestine, investigate, and prosecute the most dangerous crimes that concern the international community."

"On its part, the Russian Foreign Ministry, during talks in Moscow, called on 'Hamas' to release all hostages held, considering the humanitarian crisis in the intensively bombed Gaza Strip by Israel as 'catastrophic.'

In a significant development, a criminal complaint targeted Israeli President Isaac Herzog during his visit to Switzerland, according to Swiss prosecutors, amid accusations related to committing crimes against humanity during the ongoing war in Gaza.

In a related move, the 'European Council' imposed a sanctions system on the Hamas and Islamic Jihad movements and added 6 individuals to the sanctions list. Amid fears of the possible expansion of the war in the Middle East, European Union foreign ministers hold a series of meetings on Monday with their counterparts from Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and prominent Arab countries to discuss the war in Gaza and prospects for a peaceful settlement in the future, according to officials. European diplomats stated that their goal is to gauge each side's opinions on ending the violence on the ground and the next steps toward a long-term solution.

According to the White House, President Joe Biden discussed the latest developments in Israel and Gaza during another phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In a new escalation, the Houthis announced that Hodeidah in western Yemen was subjected to American-British bombardment.

Earlier, the naval forces of the Yemeni Armed Forces executed a targeting operation against the American ship 'USS Kearsarge' in the Gulf of Aden with appropriate naval missiles, resulting in a direct hit. In response, the US military command for the Middle East confirmed that there were no reported injuries or damage to the ship, which continued sailing.

In his latest statement, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry emphasized that "recent developments in the Red Sea region and South Asia indicate an already widening conflict."

Internationally, Pakistan announced that it has reached an agreement with Iran on a 'de-escalation' of tensions after mutual strikes on militant targets in both countries this week. A Pakistani statement on a call between the foreign ministers of both countries stated that officials 'agreed on the necessity of enhancing cooperation in the field and close coordination on counter-terrorism and other areas of mutual interest.'

Meanwhile, Russia summoned the French ambassador to Moscow and issued an official complaint about 'France's increasing role' in the conflict in Ukraine, days after announcing a strike against French mercenaries."

Economically,the Beirut Stock Exchange recorded the following:

Solidere A
77.00 -2.20 (-2.78%)
Solidere B
78.15 -1.85 (-2.31%)

Economically ,this is what the global markets recorded:

DOW JONES INDUS. AVG
37,830.83 +362.22
SPX:IND
S&P 500 INDEX
4,829.78 +48.84
CCMP:IND
NASDAQ COMPOSITE
15,264.68 +209.03
NYA:IND
NYSE COMPOSITE INDEX
16,704.56 +88.27
SPTSX:IND
S&P/TSX COMPOSITE INDEX
20,840.01 +83.28

Europe, Middle East & Africa
SX5E:IND
Euro Stoxx 50 Pr
4,448.83 -4.22
UKX:IND
FTSE 100 INDEX
7,461.93 +2.84
DAX:IND
DAX INDEX
16,555.13 -12.22
CAC:IND
CAC 40 INDEX
7,371.64 -29.71
IBEX:IND
IBEX 35 INDEX
9,858.30 -22.00

Asia Pacific
NKY:IND
NIKKEI 225
35,963.27 +497.10
TPX:IND
TOPIX INDEX (TOKYO)
2,510.03 +17.94
HSI:IND
HANG SENG INDEX
15,308.69 -83.10
SHSZ300:IND
CSI 300 INDEX
3,269.78 -4.95
AS51:IND
S&P/ASX 200 INDEX
7,421.24 +74.76
MXAP:IND
MSCI AC ASIA PACIFIC
162.07 +0.33

WTI CRUDE
73.84 -0.32%
BRENT CRUDE
78.90 -0.25%
MURBAN CRUDE
79.04 -0.08%
NATURAL GAS
2.535 -6.01%