France has called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council over Israel’s expanding military operations in southern Lebanon.

Axar.az reports, citing Le Monde, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said that the deepening of Israeli military operations in Lebanon is not justified, calling it a “major mistake”.

“Nothing can justify the continuation of Israeli military operations in Lebanon and its increasingly deep occupation of Lebanese territory,” the minister said.

He argued that the expansion of operations violates Israel’s commitments under the ceasefire, international law, and even Israel’s own security interests.

He also warned that continued strikes and occupation of Lebanese villages risk strengthening Hezbollah in the long term, saying that “every bombed village, every occupied village, every civilian killed reinforces Hezbollah over time.”