French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech at the Nuclear Energy Summit at the Seine Musicale in Boulogne-Billancourt, near Paris, on March 10, 2026. (Credit: Abdul Saboor/POOL/AFP)
In the face of Israel's war in Lebanon and the risk of a wider regional conflict amid the Israel-U.S. war in Iran, France requested an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting this Wednesday.
In a statement released by its permanent mission to the U.N., Paris condemned Hezbollah's decision to join Iranian attacks against Israel and called on the party to cease its operations and hand over its weapons. At the same time, France urged Israel to refrain from any ground intervention in Lebanon.
French diplomats also called for a return to the cease-fire and full respect for United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, warning of the humanitarian and security consequences of further escalation.
In a separate statement, the French Foreign Ministry expressed "deep concern at the current escalation of violence in Lebanon" and urged all parties to avoid a new military spiral. France said the risks to regional stability are considerable and stressed the need for an immediate return to the existing diplomatic framework.
The statement condemned "Hezbollah's irresponsible decision to join attacks by Iran against Israel since March 1." Paris urged the party "to end its operations and hand over its weapons," while reaffirming its support for Lebanese authorities.
France also welcomed "the March 2 decision by the Lebanese government to ban Hezbollah's military and security activities," describing the move as important for the country's stability.
The statement called on Israel "to refrain from any ground or long-term intervention in Lebanon." It stressed that Lebanon's territorial integrity and sovereignty must be respected, amid increasing strikes and rising tensions along the Blue Line.
Paris also expressed deep concern over Israeli attacks displacing over 750,000 civilians in Lebanon. France said it is working "in cooperation with the Lebanese authorities and humanitarian actors, notably the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees," to address growing humanitarian needs.
France also stressed the need to return to the Nov. 27, 2024, cease-fire and to fully respect United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which it said remains the main diplomatic framework for avoiding a new war between Israel and Hezbollah.
France also warned against any attacks targeting international forces deployed in Lebanon. It said, "the protection of peacekeepers, as well as the safety and security of United Nations personnel, property and facilities, must be guaranteed in accordance with international law and Resolution 1701."
French President Emmanuel Macron condemned what he described as "the unacceptable attack" on March 6 that wounded three members of the Ghanaian contingent of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), one of them seriously. He expressed solidarity with Ghana and wished the wounded soldiers a speedy recovery.
France paid tribute to "the courage, professionalism and dedication" of UNIFIL personnel, whose mission remains essential to containing tensions along the border and preserving a fragile security balance.
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