French President Emmanuel Macron urges Israel and Hezbollah to halt military operations, offering a plan to stabilise Lebanon and prevent a wider regional war.
PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron has called for urgent action to prevent Lebanon from being drawn into a wider conflict.
In a statement on social media platform X, Macron said he had spoken with Lebanese authorities to establish a plan to end military operations by Hezbollah and Israel along their shared border.
“Hezbollah must immediately cease its fire toward Israel,” Macron stated. He also called on the Israeli prime minister not to expand the war to Lebanon, describing the moment as one of “great danger”.
Macron said Lebanese authorities had committed to taking control of positions held by Hezbollah and assuming full responsibility for security across the national territory.
The appeal followed a request from Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who asked Macron to urge Israel not to bomb Beirut’s southern suburbs after an Israeli military evacuation warning for the area.
Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East conflict when Hezbollah attacked Israel in response to the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes.
“For Lebanon we must act,” Macron declared.
He announced France would strengthen cooperation with the Lebanese armed forces, providing them with armoured transport vehicles.
Macron also decided to dispatch humanitarian aid for tens of thousands of Lebanese civilians fleeing the south. “Several tons of medicines are being transported, along with shelter solutions and assistance,” he wrote.