Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid (L), Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias (C) and Cypriot Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides shake hands at a press conference after a trilateral meeting of foreign ministers in Athens, Greece, on April 5, 2022. (Xinhua)

Israel's interim Prime Minister Yair Lapid on Sunday pledged to run a functional government despite another round of political instability that triggered new elections.

In the first cabinet meeting since Lapid took office as interim prime minister on Friday, he sat next to his predecessor Naftali Bennett. The two rotated on Friday under a power-sharing deal they agreed upon in June 2021, after their ideologically diverse eight-party coalition government collapsed only a year after it took office.

"Our goal in the coming months will be to manage the government as if there were no elections ... This is what I expect from my fellow ministers," Lapid said.

"This government will continue to act for the good of the citizens," he said, adding "we will make decisions, we will take actions, and we will continue to increase the economic, diplomatic and security strength of Israel."

Lapid encountered his first security challenge as prime minister on Saturday. Three drones, identified by the Israeli military as belonging to the Lebanon-based armed group Hezbollah, approached the airspace over Israel's territorial waters, near the recently built Karish natural gas platform. An Israeli fighter jet and a Navy missile cruiser intercepted the drones, the Israeli military said.

Lapid said Israel would take the necessary measures to thwart threats and defend itself, its people and its assets. Lapid also noted that Hezbollah is still pursuing terrorism, which makes it more difficult for Lebanon to settle an agreement on a maritime border (with Israel).

Lapid will serve as the country's interim prime minister until a new government is formed after the elections scheduled on November 1.

Xinhua