IN DIPLOMACY: Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry touched on several regional issues with his Italian counterpart Luigi Di Maio during a phone call yesterday, including the political turmoil in Tunisia as well as Libya’s election plans, according to a Foreign Ministry statement. Shoukry reiterated Egypt’s support for Tunisian President Kais Saied’s democratic transition, and affirmed Egypt’s support for Libyan presidential and parliamentary elections in December. Shoukry met yesterday in Tunisia with Saied, and passed along a letter from President Abdel Fattah El Sisi pledging his full support for Tunisia’s “transition to stability and growth.”

Shoukry also spoke to Greek FM Nikos Dendias, offering condolences and his country’s readiness in assisting Greece in its fight against the ongoing wildfires that have engulfed southern Europe over the last two days, as the region faces its worst heatwave in decades, a Foreign Ministry statement said.

REGIONALLY- Lebanon and Israel exchanged fire yesterday for the second time in two weeks, with unidentified attackers in Lebanon launching three missiles on Israel yesterday, and Israel striking back with artillery fire. According to the Washington Post, there have been no casualties so far. Sirens went off on both borders, warning of another possible attack. Israel says it believes that Palestenians in Lebanon initiated the attack, rather than Hezbollah. The story is getting attention from the international press: Reuters | The New York Times.