Israeli forces raided a terror cell in the West Bank while diplomats began pushing back on its cease-fire deal with Hezbollah to the north – two shows of force after the cease-fire in Gaza halted

Under the agreement, Israeli troops are scheduled to withdraw from southern Lebanon by January the 26th.

Israel’s ambassador to the United States said Thursday the two countries are in talks about extending the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon as a deadline in the ceasefire approaches. Michael Herzog said in an interview with Israeli Army Radio that he believed Israel would "reach an understanding" with the Trump administration to extend the necessary time for the Lebanese Army to truly deploy and fulfill its role under the agreement.

Foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan became the most senior Saudi Arabian official to visit Beirut in more than a decade on Thursday, marking the kingdom’s attempt to rebuild relations with Lebanon after the country elected a new president.

Saudi Arabia's top diplomat landed in Beirut on Thursday to meet the country's new leadership in the first visit by a high-ranking official from the kingdom after more than a decade of strained ties.

Saudi Arabia will continue supporting Lebanon and is optimistic about the country's future after a ceasefire brought an end to a war between Israel and the militant Iran-aligned Hezbollah group, the kingdom's foreign minister said from Beirut.

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister arrived in the Lebanese capital, Beirut for diplomatic talks.

Saudi Arabia's top diplomat, on his country's first high-level visit to Beirut after years of strained ties, said Thursday that he believed crisis-hit Lebanon's new leaders could spearhead long-sought reforms.