French President Emmanuel Macron stated on Friday that there had been no activity justifying Israel’s recent strikes on Hezbollah in Lebanon. His remarks came after Israeli airstrikes targeted a building in Beirut’s southern suburbs, marking the first significant attack on the Lebanese capital since a ceasefire in November. This ceasefire, brokered by France and the U.S., had ended a war between Israel and Hezbollah.
Macron emphasized that the framework agreed upon by Lebanon and Israel had been violated by Israel’s unilateral actions, noting that there was no information or evidence to justify the strikes. He had earlier met with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Paris to discuss ongoing economic reforms and efforts to stabilize Lebanon.
In light of the situation, Macron indicated that he would call U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the attacks. His goal was to restore full observance of the ceasefire and to de-escalate tensions.
The November truce required Hezbollah to remove its weapons from southern Lebanon, Israeli forces to withdraw, and Lebanon to deploy its national army in the region. However, both sides have since accused each other of violating the terms of the ceasefire.