⌨The Vatican announced Pope Francis's death at age 88 following a prolonged illness, dominating Lebanon's morning headlines. Lebanese officials, including President Aoun and Prime Minister Mikati, issued statements mourning the Pope, emphasizing his support for Lebanon, with the government declaring official mourning.
The weapons control debate continued alongside this news, with morning papers reporting tensions between Hezbollah and the government following Secretary-General Qassem's rejection of disarmament. Lebanese officials reaffirmed the state's exclusive right to possess weapons, with Prime Minister Salam stating "the state is the sole master of war and peace decisions." The Lebanon24 headline noted the weapons resolution file has "no timeline," contradicting Aoun's previous stance.
By evening, Netanyahu threatened Lebanon with "harsh response," while Al-Manar reported "Israeli raids synchronizing with Lebanese voices hostile to Hezbollah." The army reportedly arrested those behind recent rocket launches.