French President Emmanuel Macron asked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to launch a ground maneuver in Lebanon.
“Today I spoke with Netanyahu, as well as with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, to discuss the very worrying situation in Lebanon,” Macron wrote on X. “I reiterated the need for Hezbollah to immediately stop its attacks against Israel and beyond. This strategy of escalation is a major mistake that endangers the entire region.”
Macron added that he had called on Netanyahu “to respect Lebanon’s territorial integrity and avoid a ground offensive. It is important that the parties return to the ceasefire agreement. France, together with its partners, will continue to support the efforts of the Lebanese Armed Forces so they can fully carry out their sovereign duties and put an end to the threat posed by Hezbollah,” referring to the Iranian-backed Lebanese terror group.
He also noted that “in light of the humanitarian emergency in southern Lebanon, France will take immediate steps to support displaced Lebanese populations. Our solidarity with the Lebanese people and our commitment to regional stability remain at the heart of our actions.”
Macron also spoke this evening with U.S. President Donald Trump and told him that France is closely monitoring developments in the war in the Middle East.
‘Israel’s response to the rocket attack was a preplanned act of aggression’
Meanwhile, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem delivered a speech Wednesday evening in which he said the terror group would continue fighting.
He also claimed that Hezbollah is fighting Israel independently of any other war, but rather in response to its demand that Israel halt its strikes and withdraw from Lebanon.
“Hezbollah and the resistance are responding to Israeli-American aggression, and this is a legitimate right,” he said. “As long as the occupation exists, the resistance and its weapons are a legitimate right — legally, internationally and in accordance with the constitution and the government’s declaration.”
Referring to the ceasefire agreement, Qassem said: “We adhered to the agreement, but Israel did not comply with any of its terms. We said repeatedly that patience has limits. Israel is a threat to us and to the region. We agreed to the diplomatic track, but it achieved nothing in 15 months. The problem lies in the constant violation of sovereignty. It seems the attacks are meant to increase pressure and push Lebanon onto a path without sovereignty.”
Qassem also claimed that “Israel seeks expansion. Netanyahu said he wants ‘Greater Israel.’ There have been 10,000 violations, and no one listens.” Addressing Israel’s response after Hezbollah decided to join the fighting, Qassem said: “What Israel did after the rocket attack was not a response, but a preplanned act of aggression.”
In his speech, Qassem also called on the Lebanese government to fulfill its responsibility to safeguard Lebanon’s sovereignty and urged the group’s domestic opponents not to “stab the resistance in the back” but to cooperate with it.
He called first for unity in prioritizing confrontation with Israel, and only afterward discussing and agreeing on other issues. “The displacement of Lebanese residents was intended to create a rift between Hezbollah and the people,” he said. “But the people know the displacement occurred because of the aggression. We and the people are together, and our unity is what defeated them in battle. There is an opportunity to open a new page — do not stab the resistance. We are winning, and we do not fear this confrontation.”