France urges Israel 'to refrain' from seizing south Lebanon zone
Israel should "refrain" from sending in forces to take control of a zone in south Lebanon, France's foreign minister told AFP on Tuesday, saying such a move would have "major humanitarian consequences".
"We urge the Israeli authorities to refrain from such ground operations, which would have major humanitarian consequences and would exacerbate the country's already dire situation," Jean-Noel Barrot said.
Israel said earlier its military would take control of south Lebanon up to the Litani River, around 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the border.
Lebanon was pulled into the Middle East war when the Tehran-backed Hezbollah militant group began firing rockets into Israel on March 2 to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Lebanon's government has acted against Iranian interests and withdrew its approval of the Iranian ambassador's accreditation on Tuesday, a decision Barrot hailed as "courageous".
Iranian ambassador Mohammad Reza Sheibani was told to leave Lebanese territory by Sunday.
"I wish to commend the statements and actions of the Lebanese government... which this morning took a courageous decision by expelling the Iranian ambassador," Barrot said, accusing Hezbollah of dragging Lebanon into a new conflict.
Beirut has accused Iran's Revolutionary Guards of commanding Hezbollah's operations in its war against Israel.
Source: Agence France Presse
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