After 5,000+ citizens a day have been rushing to apply for a passport, the General Security Directorate reiterated that it “has enough passports to meet demand”.

However, they appealed to citizens “who do not have an immediate need for a passport, to make way for those who do”.

80% of the issued passports have never been used.

🗓 10th anniversary of the Battle of Qusayr

Tomorrow, 19 ⁠May, marks Hezbullah's first offensive operation in what is known as the Battle of Qusayr, Syria, in 2013.

⋯ The operation started at dawn, after liberating the countryside.

It was carried to deny the terrorists a safe heaven near the Lebanese border, and halt the weapon flow from Lebanon to Syria.

The war was covered in Hezbullah's documentary “The secrets of the Second Liberation” (أسرار التحرير الثاني).

⋯ In a speech before the launch of the operation in 2013, Hezbullah's Secretary-General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah made remarks about Hezbullah's ethics in war.

⋯ Hezbullah mourned 50-52 martyrs on the first day.

Salameh refuses to resign, is ready to buy “all” liras from the market

Central Banker Riad Salameh told Saudi-owned Al-Hadath TV that he is “ready to buy all local currency from the market, and will intervene to avoid further collapse in the exchange rate [of the lira against the dollar]”. The lira is currently trading at 94,500 LBP to one USD.

The move comes after PM Mikati and Speaker Berri met yesterday (17 ⁠May) and, as Annahar reported, sent Salameh a letter requesting his resignation before the end of his term in July. However, Salameh deemed it would be an “admission of guilt”, including for the failure to cope with the ongoing crisis.

Salameh has been indicted in France for the embezzlement of over $330 million. He was indicted in Lebanon by Prosecutor Ghada Aoun, but on May ⁠4, she was dismissed by the Disciplinary Council of Magistrates—a decision she is appealing.

In the wake of the death of a Lebanese under torture in UAE, the authorities released 5 Lebanese from prison.

Four others are still awaiting their release.

Seven others were trialed, sometime ago and their acquittal is not certain.

The Islamic Jihad Movement (PIJ)A organized a gathering today in Sidon city to commemorate the recent battle with Israel and give tribute to the fallen fighters.

⋯ Another gathering was organised in the Islamic Da'wa center in Beirut.

The gathering was attended by various Lebanese political and religious figures, including the Iranian Cultural Counselor to the embassy in Lebanon.

Beirut: Gunmen in the Sainte-Thérèse - Hadath area shot towards a residential building, then escaped the scene.

Motives are unclear.

The Lebanese ambassador to KSA instructed the minister of foreign affairs to stop chewing gum, during the speech of Prime Minister Najib Mikati in Jeddah Summit.

A military transport truck for the Internal Security Forces derailed on the Tripoli highway towards Beirut after Chekka Tunnel, and collided with the cement barrier.

Several minor injuries were reported.

Heavy rain ongoing in Old Akkar.

⋯ Mleeta will be open for the public for free on 25 May.

Thread with footage of the drill/show by Hezbullah in southern Lebanon.

Footage of various elite units during religious chants.

⋯ An order to discipline exercise was also carried out by the various groups.

⋯ Motorcycle show, representing the advance towards an Israeli location.