France could play 'significant role' to avoid war in Lebanon: Israeli foreign minister

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said on Sunday (Dec 17) that France could play a "significant role" in avoiding a war in Lebanon as Israel has exchanged regular fire with Lebanese militants since its conflict with Hamas started on Oct 7. Addressing a press conference in Tel Aviv with his French counterpart Catherine Colonna, Foreign Minister Cohen said, "France could play a positive and significant role to prevent a war in Lebanon."

French Foreign Minister Colonna, meanwhile, told reporters that Paris was deeply concerned over the situation in the Gaza Strip. "Too many civilians are being killed," Colonna said while stressing that victims of Hamas' Oct 7 attack should not be forgotten. She is due to meet families of French hostages still held in Gaza and to call for an immediate and durable new humanitarian truce.

Since the Israel-Hamas war started, Israel and Lebanese militant groups, primarily Hezbollah have been in border skirmishes along the Israel-Lebanon border. Hezbollah backs Hamas and has said it is engaging in combat (with Israel) in support of the Palestinian militant group.

Israeli soldier killed in Lebanese border

The Israeli army said on Saturday that a soldier was killed and two others were wounded by a hostile aircraft on the Lebanese border. "Sergeant Major (reservist) Yehezkel Azaria, from Petah Tikva... fell during an operational activity in the Margaliot area, aged 53 at the time of his death," a statement from the army said.

A military spokesperson told the news agency AFP that the attack was the result of an incursion by the hostile aircraft. The army reported the incursion earlier in the day, saying that air defences "intercepted a hostile aircraft that crossed from Lebanon into Israel."

"An additional hostile aircraft that crossed from Lebanon was identified and fell in Margaliot... In response, IDF artillery is striking in Lebanon," the army statement added.

This attack comes a day after Lebanese citizens said that the Israeli army dropped leaflets on parts of southern Lebanon, warning them not to help Hezbollah.

As per AFP, since the cross-border exchanges began, more than 120 people have been killed on the Lebanese side, most of them Hezbollah fighters but also a Lebanese soldier and 17 civilians.

On the Israeli side, four civilians have been killed in addition to the seven soldiers, authorities said.

(With inputs from agencies)