Paris, 05 March (H.S.):

France's President Emmanuel Macron has implored Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to abandon plans for a full-scale ground offensive in Lebanon, marking their first direct dialogue since last summer amid escalating Middle East tensions.

Macron emphasized the imperative to safeguard Lebanon's territorial integrity following reports of Israeli ground forces advancing into border villages in southern Lebanon.

This incursion stems from Hezbollah's missile and drone assaults on Israel, launched on March 2 in retaliation for the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed in US-Israeli strikes over the weekend.

In parallel discussions, Macron pressed Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to compel Hezbollah to halt its cross-border attacks immediately.

The French leader's intervention underscores France's historical ties to Lebanon, its former protectorate, and arrives against a backdrop of strained Franco-Israeli relations exacerbated by Paris's recognition of a Palestinian state in September.

Israeli officials confirmed expanding their security zone beyond five positions held since the 2024 ceasefire, aiming to neutralize Hezbollah threats and protect northern communities.

As the conflict widens—linked to broader US-Iran hostilities—Macron vowed continued support for Lebanon's armed forces and humanitarian aid for displaced southern residents.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar