The French President Emmanuel Macron will meet Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Commander-in-Chief of the Lebanese Army Joseph Aoun on Friday in Paris. The Lebanese chief of staff, who already met European counterparts in March in Italy, seeking help for his army, will also be present.
Lebanon is plunged into a major political crisis and threatened by a risk of escalation in the Middle East after Iran's attack on Israel. The army plays a crucial role in preserving Lebanon's stability. General Aoun has good relations with most parties and is sometimes cited as a solution to the political crisis shaking the country. Since the start of the conflict in Gaza on October 7, Lebanon has regularly been the scene of exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israel. Lebanese deputies have been unable to agree on appointing a successor, with Parliament being divided between the camp of the pro-Islamist movement. Iranian Hezbollah and its adversaries are at odds over the control of the country's airspace and borders. The French president has entrusted a mission in this sense to his former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Yves Le Drian.