France’s Foreign Minister Visits Lebanon Amid Escalating Conflict
France’s Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna is set to travel to Lebanon on Saturday as part of diplomatic efforts to contain the escalating conflict in the Middle East. The visit comes as tensions continue to rise along the Israeli-Lebanese border, with daily exchanges of fire adding to fears of a widening war.
The French minister’s visit aims to call for “restraint” and “responsibility” in order to avoid a new front line on the Israeli-Lebanese border. The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Christophe Lemoine, emphasized the need to prevent a regional eruption and expressed concerns about the situation.
Israeli officials have also issued warnings to Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during a visit to forces deployed along the border, warned that if Hezbollah chooses to go into a full-scale war, Beirut and southern Lebanon will face similar consequences to Gaza and Khan Younis.
In an effort to discourage assistance to Hezbollah, the Israeli military dropped leaflets in southern Lebanon, urging residents to refrain from supporting the group. Eyewitnesses in Kfarchouba and Kfarhamam reported seeing a drone dropping the leaflets and shared photos on social media.
The conflict has already displaced hundreds of people, including women, children, and the elderly, who were forced to leave their homes near the border for safety. The Kfarchouba municipality issued a statement condemning the Israeli leaflets as a prelude to justify aggressive acts against defenseless civilians. The municipality clarified that there are no armed individuals or manifestations in the town, except for the Lebanese army and UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon).
Kfarchouba, located in the Arqoub area of the Hasbaya district, holds strategic importance due to its proximity to the Lebanese-Syrian-Israeli border triangle. While Israel withdrew from Kfarchouba under the Blue Line, vast agricultural areas belonging to the town remain under Israeli control. Four houses in the town have already been destroyed by Israeli shelling since the hostilities began on October 8.
The municipality has requested UNIFIL and the Lebanese army to protect the town by establishing a neutral area that prevents Israel from carrying out any hostile actions. However, the situation remains tense, and several people were injured when an Israeli drone targeted a house in the Lebanese border town of Yarin on Friday. The wounded were transported to hospitals in Tyre for treatment.
The conflict has seen an escalation in Israeli shelling, with civilian homes now being targeted in addition to forests and valleys. Warning sirens sounded in Arab Al-Aramshe in western Galilee on the Israeli side as Hezbollah targeted Israeli military outposts. Hezbollah claimed to have struck the Israeli Al-Jardah military outpost with Burkan missiles and targeted a group of Israeli soldiers entering the Intelligence Battalion headquarters in Mitat. The group also hit the Israeli Bayad Blida military outpost.
In response, Israel shelled various regions, including Labbouneh, Alma Al-Shaab, Tallat Hamames, Tayr Harfa, Yarin, Houla, Wadi Qatmun, Kfarkila village, Ras Al-Dhaher, Al-Tarash, and Mays Al-Jabal village. The use of internationally prohibited phosphorus bombs by Israel has raised concerns about the humanitarian impact of the conflict.
As tensions continue to escalate, France’s diplomatic efforts and calls for restraint and responsibility are crucial in preventing further deterioration of the situation. The international community must work together to find a peaceful resolution and avoid a full-scale regional war.