"I spoke today with Lebanon's highest authorities in order to establish a plan to bring an end to the military operations currently being carried out by Hezbollah and Israel on either side of the border," Macron said on X in English.

"Hezbollah must immediately cease its fire toward Israel," he added. "At this moment of great danger, I call on the Israeli prime minister not to expand the war to Lebanon."

He said the Lebanese authorities had given him "their commitment to take control of the positions held by Hezbollah and to fully assume responsibility for security across the entire national territory".

Earlier Thursday, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun asked Macron to urge Israel not to bomb Beirut's southern suburbs, after the Israeli military issued an evacuation warning for the area.

Lebanon, a former French protectorate, was drawn into the Middle East war on Monday when the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah attacked Israel in response to the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes at the weekend.

"For Lebanon we must act," Macron said.

He said France would strengthen cooperation with the Lebanese armed forces and provide them with armoured transport vehicles.

Macron added that he had decided to dispatch humanitarian aid for tens of thousands of Lebanese civilians fleeing the south.

"Several tons of medicines are being transported, along with shelter solutions and assistance," he wrote.

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