New French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, gestures as he delivers a speech during the handover ceremony at the ministry, Monday, Sep 23, 2024, in Paris. (PHOTO: AP/Christophe Ena)

France calls on Israel to stop Lebanon strikes: ministry

28 Sep 2024, 18:56 · CNA · Join

PARIS: France on Saturday (Sep 28) called on Israel to stop striking Lebanon, as the killing of the head of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group sparked fears of a widening war in the Middle East.

Speaking with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Paris wanted "an immediate halt to Israeli strikes in Lebanon" and was "opposed to any ground operation", the foreign ministry said in a statement.

France also "calls on other actors, notably Hezbollah and Iran, to abstain from any action that could lead to additional destabilisation and regional conflagration".

Sign up for our newsletters

Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox

Subscribe here

Get the CNA app

Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories

Download here

Get WhatsApp alerts

Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app

Join here