France formally requested an emergency convening of the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday to address the rapid military escalation in Lebanon, following the deadliest 24-hour wave of airstrikes between Israeli forces and Hezbollah since the 2006 conflict.
Addressing the UN General Assembly in New York, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot warned that the cross-border strikes threaten to plunge the entire Middle East into an uncontrollable regional conflagration. France exercised its prerogative as a permanent member of the Security Council to demand high-level consultations within hours.
Paris Urges Immediate De-escalation at the United Nations
The diplomatic intervention came after Israeli air raids struck over 1,300 targets across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, targeting missile arsenals and command posts. Lebanese health authorities reported that the bombardment resulted in more than 550 fatalities and thousands of wounded, triggering mass evacuations toward Beirut.
Hezbollah responded by firing hundreds of rockets into northern Israel, targeting military airbases, industrial zones near Haifa, and residential communities, forcing tens of thousands of civilians into bomb shelters. Paris stressed that the cycle of retaliatory fire must be broken before ground troops are engaged.
“France calls for an immediate cessation of strikes. Lebanon cannot and must not become another Gaza; a diplomatic path remains the only way to safeguard human life.”
Mounting Civilian Toll and the Peril of Regional Conflagration
France, which maintains historical ties with Lebanon and contributes heavily to the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), urged all belligerents to abide strictly by UN Security Council Resolution 1701. The resolution mandates the disarmament of non-state militias and the exclusive deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces south of the Litani River.
International diplomats in New York, alongside US and European counterparts, commenced closed-door shuttle diplomacy to broker a temporary 21-day ceasefire. Officials emphasized that avoiding a catastrophic ground invasion requires simultaneous de-escalation along the Blue Line and substantive progress toward a truce in Gaza.
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