UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Monday over Israel’s expanded military operations in southern Lebanon, diplomatic sources, cited by AFP and Anadolu Agency, said on Sunday.
The meeting was requested by France and will take place after a separate emergency session on a reported drone strike in Romania, scheduled for 1900 GMT, the sources told AFP.
According to diplomatic sources cited by AFP, the French request for a Security Council meeting was backed “strongly” by Russia.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot made the request on Sunday, calling for urgent international attention to Israel’s ongoing military operations in Lebanon, which Paris described as “extremely concerning.”
Lebanon’s foreign ministry said Barrot informed his Lebanese counterpart Youssef Raggi that France would push for an emergency UN Security Council session following the latest escalation.
Israeli offensive and Beaufort capture
The move comes after Israel expanded its ground operations in southern Lebanon and announced the capture of the medieval Beaufort Castle, also known as Qalaat al-Shaqif.
The Israeli military action has been described by officials as part of a broader offensive against Hezbollah positions.
Beaufort Castle is one of southern Lebanon’s most strategic landmarks.
Israeli forces withdrew from the site in 2000 after ending their long occupation of a “security zone” in the south that lasted from 1982 to 2000.
French President Emmanuel Macron said “nothing justifies the major escalation currently underway in southern Lebanon,” adding that France would continue supporting Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, according to a post on X.
Egypt also called on the UN Security Council to act urgently to stop Israel’s escalation, warning that continued operations risk further destabilising the region.
In a statement, Egypt’s foreign ministry condemned what it called Israel’s “continued aggression” and described the expanded ground operations as a “blatant act of aggression” and a violation of Lebanese sovereignty.
The ministry urged the Security Council and influential international actors to act “urgently and decisively” to halt the offensive and warned of broader regional consequences.
According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, Israeli attacks since March 2 have killed more than 3,370 people and wounded over 10,000 others.
The ministry said the continuing strikes and ground operations are contributing to a rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in the south.
