Then, a Saudi delegation headed by the kingdom’s envoy, Prince Yazid bin Farhan, flew into Beirut for the second time in a week. It held a blitz of meetings with various political parties. By the time they left, there was only one candidate left: the US-backed Aoun.

The man Lebanon’s parliament chose to be the country’s new president was the preferred candidate of the US, Europe and Saudi Arabia, who the war-torn country will need help from to rebuild, according to reports.

Gaza’s Health Ministry says more than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israel-Hamas war, with no end in sight to the 15-month conflict.