Judge Tarek Bitar resumed the Beirut port explosion investigation, scheduling interrogations for February 7 and filing charges against 10 new suspects. This development coincided with PM-designate Nawaf Salam completing his non-binding consultations amid the Shiite duo's boycott.
The French-Saudi axis emerged prominently, with Macron and bin Salman expressing support for "strong government formation." UN Secretary-General Guterres arrived in Beirut, pledging economic recovery support. Qatar and Jordan extended presidential visit invitations to Joseph Aoun.
Gaza ceasefire implementation discussions dominated international coverage, with Netanyahu claiming "last-minute crisis" while Hamas denied backtracking. By evening, Blinken suggested the agreement would take effect Sunday, though Israeli cabinet approval remained pending for Thursday.