French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu has issued a stark warning about the potential collapse of Lebanon, stressing the necessity of a ceasefire to ensure collective security in the region. Speaking on Monday, Lecornu expressed deep concern over the escalating tensions, cautioning that the country is teetering on the brink of an "imminent civil war."

During an interview on the LCI television channel, Lecornu emphasized that France’s current position is primarily driven by fears of this looming internal conflict. He pointed to several destabilizing factors contributing to the volatility, including mass displacement of populations, heightened interfaith tensions, and the weakening of Hezbollah.

"The weakening of Hezbollah is good news, we won’t deny that," Lecornu noted. However, he underscored that despite this development, the overall situation in Lebanon remains precarious.

"You can clearly see that Lebanon could completely collapse even further than it already has," he added.

Lecornu also raised concerns about the safety of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeepers, who have come under increasing threat. He criticized the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for not consistently taking "the essential security measures for operations." The French minister pointed out that despite Hezbollah’s manipulation of UNIFIL contingents, "UNIFIL positions were directly struck by the IDF last week."

While Lecornu acknowledged the tactical victories achieved by neutralizing terrorist elements, he cautioned that these short-term gains do not necessarily translate into long-term security for Israel.

"The string of tactical victories through the neutralization of certain terrorists—whom we will not miss, to be very clear—does not automatically offer clear or obvious prospects of security for the State of Israel in the medium and long term," he remarked.