Israel PM visits France with Lebanon gas row topping agenda

Israel PM visits France with Lebanon gas row topping agenda

The Lebanese government “needs to rein in Hezbollah” or else Israel “will be forced to do so,” Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid warned on Tuesday, as he headed to France for an official visit.

"Israel will not agree to this kind of attacks on its sovereignty, and anyone who does this needs to know that they are taking an unnecessary risk to their well-being," Lapid added, in reference to Hezbollah's launching of three drones towards the Karish offshore gas field on Saturday.

“The Lebanese government must guarantee that Hezbollah will not obstruct the finalizing of the demarcation of the maritime border between Israel and Lebanon,” Lapid said.

He added that he will tell French President Emmanuel Macron that “Hezbollah represents a threat to Lebanon’s stability and safety.”

Speaking before his departure from Tel Aviv, Lapid said he will raise the issue of Hezbollah's drones with Macron.

"We will also discuss of course what has occurred recently off the coast of Lebanon," Lapid said.

"There have been repeated attacks on Israeli gas rigs. Israel will not accept this type of attacks on its sovereignty," he added.

Lebanon rejects Israel's claim that the Karish gas field lies within its territorial waters.

Israel and Lebanon resumed negotiations on their maritime border