Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said on Friday his group was ready for a long confrontation with Israel<\/a>.<\/p>\n France said it was deeply concerned by the escalation of violence and the displacement of people\u00a0\u2013 calling on all parties to respect international humanitarian law and protect\u00a0civilian\u00a0populations.<\/p>\n Foreign Minister Jean-No\u00ebl Barrot announced that France was sending\u00a060 tonnes<\/a> of aid to help with the humanitarian crisis.<\/p>\n Rescue workers carry a body from an apartment destroyed in an Israeli airstrike in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon, Saturday, 14 March 2026. AP – Mohammad Zaatari <\/p>\n Diplomatic avenues <\/p>\n Meanwhile, UN chief Antonio Guterres said Saturday on a visit to Beirut that diplomatic channels remained open to end the war between Israel and Hezbollah.<\/p>\n “There is no military solution, only diplomacy, dialogue and full implementation of the UN Charter and Security Council resolutions<\/a>. The diplomatic avenues are available, including through my special coordinator for Lebanon… and through key member states,” he said.<\/p>\n “We are doing everything we can now to bring about an immediate de-escalation and the cessation of hostilities,” Guterres told reporters.<\/p>\n Lebanon rocked by Israeli strikes as Hezbollah joins Iran war<\/a><\/p>\n “My special coordinator is engaging with all actors around the clock to bring the parties to the table and UNIFIL<\/a> peacekeepers… remain in position,” he said, referring to the UN Interim Force in Lebanon.<\/p>\n He said attacks against peacekeepers and positions were “completely unacceptable and they must stop. They are in breach of international law and may constitute war crimes”.<\/p>\n Three peacekeepers<\/a> serving with the Ghanaian contingent were wounded earlier this month in south Lebanon.<\/p>\n “My message to the international community is simply step up your engagement, empower the Lebanese state and support the Lebanese Armed Forces to secure the capabilities and resources they need,” Guterres said.<\/p>\n Decisive phase <\/p>\n Israel, which had continued to strike targets in Lebanon even before the war, despite a 2024 ceasefire<\/a> with Hezbollah, has launched deadly air attacks, sent ground troops into border areas and issued evacuation warnings that have displaced hundreds of thousands of people.<\/p>\n On Saturday Israel said the war had entered a “decisive phase”, as explosions rocked cities across the Middle East<\/a>, with strikes on the US embassy in Baghdad and a major Emirati energy facility.<\/p>\n![\"Rescue](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AP26073346784669.jpg\")
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