Riot-torn France struggles with chaos at home as Macron eyes military mission thousands of miles away

Detailed summary

French President Emmanuel Macron's Lebanon military force plan hits resistance from Italy as Marco Rubio floats a civilian alternative to UNIFIL.

As Israeli and Lebanese military officials meet in Washington for rare Pentagon-mediated talks, Ahmed Sharawi of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies warns Hezbollah’s grip on Lebanon continues to undermine hopes for a broader agreement.

French President Emmanuel Macron is pushing ahead with plans for a new European military presence in Lebanon while struggling with mounting political and economic turmoil at home, even as the initiative encounters resistance from a key European partner and Washington considers an alternative that may not require troops.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that he had discussed the future of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) with Macron, suggesting that a replacement monitoring mechanism could be civilian rather than military.

"It doesn't have to be a military mission. It could be a civilian mission," Rubio said in remarks published Tuesday.

Rubio explained that the administration is seeking a credible mechanism to verify arrangements under which Israeli forces withdraw from designated areas, the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) assume control and the Iran-backed terrorist group Hezbollah is prevented from returning.

RUBIO ANNOUNCES FRAMEWORK DEAL BETWEEN ISRAEL AND LEBANON AS EXPERTS WARN IRAN WILL FIGHT TO SABOTAGE IT

Soldiers from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon UNIFIL attend a ceremony marking the International Day of UN Peacekeepers in Naqoura, Lebanon, May 29, 2025. (Ali Hashisho/Xinhua via Getty Images)

He suggested France could play a constructive role but emphasized that any arrangement would require agreement from both Lebanon and Israel.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz also made clear that Washington has no intention of preserving the existing peacekeeping mission.

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