The paper quoted Arab diplomatic sources as saying that "The French- who have so far been content as observers- inserted themselves into the Iranian line tightening around Syria and Lebanon, including Hezbollah, and joined in the escalating tone of American Secretary of State Mike Pompeo," after they understood the Americans were serious about ramping up sanctions on Iran.

According to the sources, Paris expressed concern regarding reports of precision-guided missiles on Lebanese soil. The reports were sent by Israel to the French and to the Americans.

"France considers it Lebanon's responsibility to take steps to ensure that precision-guided rocket systems" will not have a presence in the country, said one source, "since Israel will not stand by the establishment of such systems with Iranian support." The source emphasized that France is moving closer to the American position in Syria, therefore it is also concerned about the situation in Lebanon.


Earlier this week, it was reported that the Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil met with a senior Israeli official in Moscow, and discussed issues of borders, the Syrian war and Iranian weapons factories in Lebanon.

The Israeli official reportedly told Bassil that Israel does not consider Lebanon to be an enemy, but that it also will not hesitate to strike at Iranian and Hezbollah targets in Syria.

Translated from Maariv by Zack Evans. Ilanit Chernick contributed to this report.

France warned Lebanon that Israel would attack precision-guided rocket systems belonging to Hezbollah, according to a report Saturday in the Holland-based paper Al-Hayat.