Overview
- French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot began a two-day visit to Beirut to push enforcement of the state’s monopoly on weapons and met Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi, Speaker Nabih Berri and President Joseph Aoun, with a meeting set with Gen. Rodolphe Haykal.
- Barrot urged Iran-backed groups to exercise the greatest restraint if U.S.-Iran tensions escalate and said Lebanon must stay out of any confrontation.
- He confirmed that the March 5 Paris meeting will be co-organized with the United States, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt to support the Lebanese army and internal security forces.
- The Lebanese army says phase one of its plan—extending to the Litani River—is complete and it will soon present phase two toward the Awali River, which French diplomatic sources describe as more delicate beyond UNIFIL’s area.
- Hezbollah rejects disarmament north of the Litani, while Lebanese and UN officials say Israel’s near-daily strikes and continued occupation of five southern positions violate the ceasefire.