France says dismantling of weapons sites is job of Lebanese military, not Israel

The French foreign ministry on Friday called on Israel “to fully withdraw from Lebanese territory as quickly as possible”, following a spate of air strikes it conducted on southern Beirut one day earlier. 

It added that the “dismantling of unauthorized military sites on Lebanese soil remains a priority for the Lebanese Armed Forces”, suggesting that it is not a job for Israel.

The Israeli army had said it was targeting infrastructure used by Hezbollah.

“France condemns the Israeli airstrikes that hit Beirut on June 5. France calls on all the parties to abide by the ceasefire signed on November 26, 2024, in order to ensure the safety of civilian populations on both sides of the Blue Line,” the ministry’s statement said.

“France notes that the monitoring mechanism established by the ceasefire agreement is there to help the parties deal with threats and prevent any escalation that would undermine Lebanon and Israel’s security and stability.”