French president calls on Israel, Hezbollah to stop offensives
In total, Lebanese authorities say the offensive has killed 634 people, including 91 children.
PARIS - French President Emmanuel Macron called on Wednesday for Israel to halt its ground offensive in Lebanon and on Iran-backed group Hezbollah to "immediately" stop attacks.
"Hezbollah made a major mistake in dragging Lebanon into a confrontation with Israel. It must immediately cease its attack.
"For its part, Israel must clearly renounce any ground offensive in Lebanon," Macron posted on X.
Macron, who had previously said everything possible must be done to avoid a new war in Lebanon, made the comments after speaking with the country's president Joseph Aoun.
Lebanon was dragged into the war in the Middle East this month when Hezbollah attacked Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the opening wave of US and Israeli strikes on Iran.
Israel, which had kept up strikes in Lebanon even before the war despite a 2024 ceasefire with Hezbollah, has since launched air raids across the country and sent ground troops into border areas in response to Hezbollah's drone and rocket attacks.
In total, Lebanese authorities say the offensive has killed 634 people, including 91 children.
The Israeli military said late on Wednesday that it had launched a new wave of strikes on Hezbollah targets in south Beirut -- a stronghold of the group -- vowing to act with "great force" there after the military reported rocket fire from Hezbollah towards Israel. - AFP
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