France Raises Alarm That Lebanon Might Face Collapse
The French Defense Minister has warned that Lebanon is at risk of descending into civil war due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
The French Defense Minister has warned that Lebanon is at risk of descending into civil war.
On Monday, Sebastien Lecornu expressed concerns about the potential collapse of Lebanon, a country that was under French administration for part of the 20th century. The nation has recently become a hotspot for conflict between Israel and the armed group Hezbollah.
In an interview with LCI news channel, Lecornu stated, “A ceasefire in Lebanon was a necessity for our collective security.”
Hezbollah and Israel have engaged in intermittent exchanges of fire since Israel initiated a military operation in Gaza in response to a deadly Hamas raid on October 7 last year. The situation escalated in September when Israel launched Operation Northern Arrows aimed at targeting Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon.
According to the UN Refugee Agency, one million people in Lebanon have been displaced in search of safety. The Lebanese Health Ministry reported that nearly 2,500 individuals have lost their lives due to Israeli assaults on the country as of Saturday.
Lecornu articulated the French perspective: “Our position right now is primarily driven by the fear... of an imminent civil war in Lebanon. …You can see that Lebanon could completely collapse even further than it already has,” he emphasized.
Earlier this month, French President Emmanuel Macron urged the US and EU to “stop delivering arms” to Israel, highlighting the need for a “political solution” to the ongoing crisis in the Middle East and warning that Lebanon could become “a new Gaza.”
In response to the crisis, France is organizing an international conference on Lebanon this Thursday in Paris. The French Foreign Ministry indicated that the conference aims to “rally the international community” to offer emergency aid to the Lebanese people and to explore means for “supporting the country’s institutions,” particularly its armed forces. According to AFP, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati intends to seek “security assistance” for “everything concerning the army and internal security forces” during the conference.
Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and militant organization, has representation in the Lebanese Parliament and government through its political wing, while its military wing is believed to be more powerful than the Lebanese Army.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry and the IDF assert that they have “eliminated” nearly all of Hezbollah’s senior military leaders in recent airstrikes, including the reported killing of Hassan Nasrallah, the group's leader, in a Beirut airstrike late last month.
Lebanon fell under French control in 1920 and declared independence in November 1943, but it only attained full independence following the withdrawal of French troops in August 1946.
Sophie Wagner for TROIB News
On Monday, Sebastien Lecornu expressed concerns about the potential collapse of Lebanon, a country that was under French administration for part of the 20th century. The nation has recently become a hotspot for conflict between Israel and the armed group Hezbollah.
In an interview with LCI news channel, Lecornu stated, “A ceasefire in Lebanon was a necessity for our collective security.”
Hezbollah and Israel have engaged in intermittent exchanges of fire since Israel initiated a military operation in Gaza in response to a deadly Hamas raid on October 7 last year. The situation escalated in September when Israel launched Operation Northern Arrows aimed at targeting Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon.
According to the UN Refugee Agency, one million people in Lebanon have been displaced in search of safety. The Lebanese Health Ministry reported that nearly 2,500 individuals have lost their lives due to Israeli assaults on the country as of Saturday.
Lecornu articulated the French perspective: “Our position right now is primarily driven by the fear... of an imminent civil war in Lebanon. …You can see that Lebanon could completely collapse even further than it already has,” he emphasized.
Earlier this month, French President Emmanuel Macron urged the US and EU to “stop delivering arms” to Israel, highlighting the need for a “political solution” to the ongoing crisis in the Middle East and warning that Lebanon could become “a new Gaza.”
In response to the crisis, France is organizing an international conference on Lebanon this Thursday in Paris. The French Foreign Ministry indicated that the conference aims to “rally the international community” to offer emergency aid to the Lebanese people and to explore means for “supporting the country’s institutions,” particularly its armed forces. According to AFP, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati intends to seek “security assistance” for “everything concerning the army and internal security forces” during the conference.
Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and militant organization, has representation in the Lebanese Parliament and government through its political wing, while its military wing is believed to be more powerful than the Lebanese Army.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry and the IDF assert that they have “eliminated” nearly all of Hezbollah’s senior military leaders in recent airstrikes, including the reported killing of Hassan Nasrallah, the group's leader, in a Beirut airstrike late last month.
Lebanon fell under French control in 1920 and declared independence in November 1943, but it only attained full independence following the withdrawal of French troops in August 1946.
Sophie Wagner for TROIB News
