Paris is exerting efforts in many directions in the region in a bid to contain the explosive situations and “weaken the possibilities of a broad war starting from south Lebanon’s front,” a diplomatic source in Paris said.

“Paris has received reassurances from the Lebanese and Israeli sides that they do not want an escalation or an expansion of the confrontations,” the source told al-Joumhouria newspaper in remarks published Thursday.

“We have stressed to both sides that there is no interest for any side in escalation, and accordingly there is an urgent need to halt military operations immediately,” the source added.