France’s Foreign Minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, on Tuesday cautioned Israel against deploying ground forces to seize control of areas in southern Lebanon, warning that such action could trigger severe humanitarian fallout.
Speaking to AFP, Barrot appealed to Israeli authorities to avoid escalating the conflict through ground operations, stressing the potential consequences for civilians.
“We urge the Israeli authorities to refrain from such ground operations, which would have major humanitarian consequences and would exacerbate the country’s already dire situation,” he said.
His remarks came as Israel announced plans for its military to assume control of southern Lebanon up to the Litani River, approximately 30 kilometres from the border, amid continued strikes targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah positions in the region.
Meanwhile, Lebanon’s government moved against Iranian influence by revoking the accreditation of Iran’s ambassador, a decision that drew praise from the French minister. Mohammad Reza Sheibani has been instructed to leave Lebanese territory by Sunday.
“I wish to commend the statements and actions of the Lebanese government… which this morning took a courageous decision by expelling the Iranian ambassador,” Barrot said, blaming Hezbollah for drawing Lebanon deeper into conflict.
Lebanese authorities have accused Iran’s Revolutionary Guards of directing Hezbollah’s military activities in its confrontation with Israel.
Israel’s Foreign Minister, Gideon Saar, also welcomed Beirut’s decision, describing the expulsion as appropriate and necessary. He urged further steps against Hezbollah, noting its continued political presence within Lebanon’s government. “We call on the Lebanese government to take practical and meaningful measures against Hezbollah, whose representatives still serve as ministers within it,” Saar said in a post on social media platform X. Lebanon’s health minister, Rakan Nassereddine, and labour minister, Mohammad Haidar, are Hezbollah-affiliated.
Barrot, who visited Beirut last Thursday and Tel Aviv on Friday, reiterated France’s reservations regarding Israel’s military actions and encouraged renewed diplomatic engagement. He urged Israel to take advantage of a “historic opportunity” to begin direct negotiations with Lebanese authorities, following an offer by President Emmanuel Macron to host talks.
The ongoing conflict intensified after Hezbollah, backed by Tehran, launched rocket attacks into Israel on March 2, citing retaliation for the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Since then, Israeli strikes across Lebanon have resulted in at least 1,039 deaths and displaced over one million people within three weeks. Ground troops have also been deployed to southern parts of the country.
On Tuesday, Israeli forces continued aerial assaults across multiple regions, including southern and eastern Lebanon, as well as areas near Beirut, according to the state-run National News Agency, following overnight bombardments in the capital’s southern suburbs.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz stated that the military intends to secure a zone extending to the Litani River, adding that displaced Lebanese civilians would not be permitted to return to areas south of the river until northern Israeli communities are deemed safe.
The region south of the Litani has experienced widespread destruction since hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah escalated in 2023 after the Gaza war, despite a ceasefire reached in November 2024.
Many villages along the border had already been largely abandoned before Israel resumed intensive strikes and incursions in recent weeks.
Israel has repeatedly issued evacuation orders to residents, while Hezbollah has reported ongoing clashes with Israeli forces, including in the border town of Khiam and the village of Qawzah on Tuesday.
Katz indicated that military operations are being conducted “following the model of Rafah and Beit Hanoun,” two Gaza cities that were extensively destroyed and remain under Israeli control after prolonged conflict.
In a further escalation, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned of “heavy” retaliatory attacks against Israel if what it described as continued violence against civilians in Lebanon and Palestine persists.
