France is “fully committed to reaching a de-escalation” between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, its permanent representative to the U.N. said.

“France is extremely concerned by the deterioration of the situation along the Blue Line and remains fully committed to reaching a de-escalation, and promoting a diplomatic solution to avoid a full-fledged war,” the representative Nicolas de Rivière said ahead of a U.N. Security Council meeting.

Former Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat considers Speaker Nabih Berri's presidential initiative as "an emergency exit" from the presidential deadlock, close sources to the Druze leader said.

The sources told al-Joumhouria newspaper, in remarks published Thursday, that Jumblat does not support unproductive presidential proposals that lack impetus.

Hezbollah said Thursday it has targeted overnight surveillance equipment in Berkat Risha and the Hanita post in northern Israel with artillery shells.

The group said it has fired anti-aircraft missiles at Israeli warplanes in south Lebanon, forcing them to retreat beyond the border.

Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon (SCL), on Wednesday briefed the U.N. Security Council, alongside U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix.

The consultations followed publication of the latest report (S/2024/548) of U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the implementation of Resolution 1701 (2006).

Israel prefers diplomacy but will do "whatever it must" to secure its northern border, where its forces are engaged in near-daily clashes with Lebanon's Hezbollah, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the U.S. Congress on Wednesday.

"Let me be clear: Israel will do whatever it must do to restore security to our northern border and return our people safely to their homes," Netanyahu said, referring to those displaced by the fighting.

Israel has canceled the upcoming school year in areas near the border with Lebanon amid cross-border clashes with Hezbollah. 

Hezbollah on Wednesday released a video showing footage captured by the group’s drones over the Ramat David base in northern Israel.

Hezbollah had released in June a video showing sensitive military and economic sites in Israel's northern strategic city of Haifa and published another video earlier this month captured over the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Kataeb leader Sami Gemayel has criticized Hezbollah for putting Lebanon at the mercy of Hamas and Israel and for trying to influence the presidential file.

Gemayel said in a televised interview on Tuesday night that Hezbollah has failed to impose its hegemony over the presidential file because the opposition, including the Free Patriotic Movement, rallied against it.

The Free Patriotic Movement is "open to everyone", its leader Jebran Bassil said during a dinner ceremony Tuesday.

"We are open to everyone to end the presidential void," Bassil said, adding that he is determined to continue his efforts to end the crisis in Lebanon through dialogue and consultations.

Israeli drones raided Wednesday Kfakila while artillery shelled Kfarshouba, Houla, and the outskirts of Kfar Hamam, and warplanes broke the sound barrier over Nabatieh and Iqlim al-Toffah.

Israeli jets had raided late Tuesday the southern town of Shihine, targeting the Amal-affiliated Islamic Risala Scout Association. No casualties were reported.