French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot on Thursday called for Lebanon not to be used as a "scapegoat" after Israeli strikes on Wednesday killed 182 people and wounded 890, according to reports by Lebanese health authorities.
“We strongly condemn these massive strikes," Barrot told French broadcaster France Inter.
The strikes formed the most intense bombardment of the Lebanese capital since the start of the war with the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah on 2 March.
The Lebanese health ministry reported that 182 people were killed and 890 wounded.
"Yes, Iran must stop terrorising Israel through Hezbollah, which must be disarmed without fail and return these weapons to the Lebanese state," Barrot said. "But no, Lebanon must not be the scapegoat for a government upset because a ceasefire has been reached between the United States and Iran."
United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres warned that Israeli strikes on Lebanon could jeopardise the US-Iran truce, his spokesperson said in a statement.
"The ongoing military activity in Lebanon poses a grave risk to the ceasefire and the efforts toward a lasting and comprehensive peace in the region. The secretary-general reiterates his call to all parties to immediately cease hostilities."
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Lebanon was pulled into the war after Hezbollah targeted Israel in retaliation for its strikes on Iran.
While Iran and the US agreed to a two-week ceasefire on Tuesday, Israel insisted that Lebanon was not part of the truce.
Hezbollah responded by saying it had fired rockets towards Israel, and Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf appeared to threaten the ceasefire.
"The secretary-general strongly condemns the loss of civilian lives and is deeply alarmed by the mounting toll on civilians," the UN spokesperson added. "There is no military solution to the conflict. The secretary-general continues to call on all sides to avail themselves of diplomatic channels."
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International condemnation
The UN's human rights chief and the International Committee of the Red Cross have also condemned the strikes.
"Such carnage, within hours of agreeing to a ceasefire with Iran, defies belief," said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk.
French President Emmanuel Macron also joined with calls for Lebanon to be included in the ceasefire.
He urged US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to include Lebanon in the ceasefire the two sides had reached.
"I expressed my hope that the ceasefire will be fully respected by each of the belligerents, across all areas of confrontation, including in Lebanon," Macron said on social media after speaking with both leaders.
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said on Thursday the United Kingdom wanted to see Lebanon included in the ceasefire in the Middle East.
"I'm deeply troubled about the escalating attacks that we saw from Israel in Lebanon on Wednesday," she told British broadcaster Sky News. "We've seen the humanitarian consequences, the huge mass displacement of people in Lebanon. So we do strongly want to see the ceasefire extended to Lebanon."
(with newswires)
