Blinken and France Urge De-escalation Amid Rising Tensions in Lebanon

During a meeting in Paris on Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his French counterpart, Stephane Sejourne, called for restraint and de-escalation in the Middle East, particularly in Lebanon, following recent Hezbollah communication device explosions attributed to Israel. Blinken emphasized the importance of avoiding “escalatory actions by any party” as efforts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza continue. Sejourne expressed concern about the growing risks of a major war on Israel’s northern border, warning that Lebanon would struggle to recover from a full-scale conflict.