Israeli ground op. in Lebanon will ‘strengthen Hezbollah,’ France tells Israel - exclusive

French sources told the Post that a ground operation in Lebanon would undermine the Lebanese government’s legitimacy to act against Hezbollah.

[Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and French President Emmanuel Macron hold a joint press conference, amid the Israeli-Hamas conflict, in Jerusalem, October 24, 2023. | Photo Credit: Christophe Ena/Pool via Reuters]

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke on Wednesday evening, for the first time since the summer, focusing largely on the situation in Lebanon and Israel’s actions against Hezbollah following its rocket fire toward Israel.

According to a statement from the Élysée Palace, Macron urged Netanyahu not to launch a ground operation in Lebanon.

Earlier this week, Macron called Hezbollah’s attack a “strategic mistake,” adding that by choosing to strike Israel, “it is putting the Lebanese people at risk.”

Despite those remarks, the French president warned that an Israeli ground operation in Lebanon would itself be a “strategic error,” saying: “Israel must respect Lebanon’s territory and its sovereignty.”

Two sources familiar with the discussions told The Jerusalem Post that in recent days, senior French officials have conveyed a similar message to their Israeli counterparts: A ground operation in Lebanon would undermine the Lebanese government’s legitimacy to act against Hezbollah and could even increase the terrorist organization’s popularity.

[Israeli soldiers observe the border between Lebanon and Israel, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, as seen from Israel, March 4, 2026. (Photo Credit: Shir Torem/Reuters]

France urges Israel to stop ground operations in Lebanon

“There is significant opposition among the Lebanese public to Hezbollah’s move that is dragging them into a war they do not want,” the officials said.

“Lebanese authorities have acted both rhetorically and actively to promote a plan to disarm the terrorist organization, and they should be supported.”

French officials also warned that an Israeli ground operation could cause the Lebanese public to “rally around the flag,” potentially undermining the current public consensus in Lebanon, in favor of disarming Hezbollah.

“From the very beginning, since October 7, the French have consistently opposed a ground operation in Lebanon,” Aliza Ben Noun, Israel’s former ambassador to France, told the Post.

“They have always been against Hezbollah, but they are genuinely concerned about destabilizing the Lebanese government.”

Ben Noun said the Lebanese government remained fragile and weak, fueling concerns in Paris about the potential consequences.

“It’s true that the Lebanese have arrested several Hezbollah members, but it’s mostly symbolic and may also be intended to create leverage over Israel, to signal that they have taken action against Hezbollah, and therefore Israel should stop the bombings,” she said.

The former diplomat added that Macron and senior members of his administration had pressed the Lebanese authorities to act, even while recognizing the longstanding limitations of the Lebanese government.

“They tried, sometimes politely, sometimes less so, to encourage various declarations and occasionally used economic leverage. But overall, they have always said that disarming Hezbollah is extremely difficult to implement.”

On Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces’ Arabic-language spokesperson issued a message calling on all residents of southern Lebanon to evacuate the area and move north of the Litani River, something many view as a possible first step ahead of a ground operation.

When IDF spokesperson Effie Defrin was asked this week about the possibility of such an operation, he emphasized that “all options are on the table.”

https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-888947