Following the recent explosions in Lebanon, which reportedly targeted communication devices used by Hezbollah, U.S. and French foreign ministers urged all parties to “de-escalate tensions in the Middle East” on Thursday. Both expressed “deep concern” over the potential for further escalation linked to Israel’s involvement in the attacks.
French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné stated, “We have coordinated efforts to send de-escalation messages,” while U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking from Paris, added, “We do not want to see any escalation from any side that worsens the situation.”
Blinken acknowledged that “there is a real issue that needs to be addressed regarding northern Israel and southern Lebanon.” Séjourné also warned, “Lebanon cannot recover from a full-scale war.”
Diplomats from the U.S., France, Germany, Italy, and the U.K. are meeting in Paris to discuss the situation in Lebanon and the fate of ceasefire negotiations in Gaza.
This meeting follows U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s brief visit to Cairo, where he attempted to revive talks aimed at establishing a truce between Israel and Hamas.
