The foreign minister of France Stephane Sejourne says he is discussing proposals with Lebanese officials aimed at easing tensions between Hezbollah and Israel and preventing a war from breaking out.
France has historical ties with Lebanon and earlier this year the Foreign Minister proposed Hezbollah pulls back 10 km from the Israeli border while Israel would halt strikes in southern Lebanon.
The proposal has been discussed with partners including the United States and Paris wants to keep up the momentum amid Israeli threats of a military operation in southern Lebanon.
Israel and Hezbollah have traded trading words in recent months which have increased since Iran launched missiles on Israel in response to the killing of members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps’ overseas Quds Force in the Syrian capital Damascus.
More Israeli strikes hit southern Lebanon overnight close to the United Nations’ peacemaking force, according to military officials, just hours before Sejourne visited its headquarters in Naqoura.
Hezbollah has said it will not enter any concrete discussion until there is a ceasefire in Gaza, where the war between Israel and Islamist militant group Hamas has entered its sixth month.
Israel has said it wants to restore calm on its northern border so that thousands of displaced Israelis can return to the area without fear of rocket attacks.
