French Envoy Discusses Hezbollah, Southern Lebanon, and Army Leadership in Lebanon

The envoy of French President Emmanuel Macron began his meeting with Hezbollah's delegation by offering condolences to head of the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc, MP Mohammed Raad, for the martyrdom of his son in clashes with the Israeli occupying army in southern Lebanon.

The current and future situation in the south was the primary focus of the first discussion with Hezbollah. 

It became clear that the French, along with the Americans and others, aimed for a change to secure Israeli demands. This involves preventing what happened from Gaza does not occur from southern Lebanon. 

Hence, the emphasis on effective implementation of Resolution 1701.

According to information made available, Hezbollah informed the French envoy that Lebanon needs guarantees from the international community regarding Israeli aggressions and that the situation along the border is linked to developments in Gaza. 
The discussion between Hezbollah and Le Drian also touched upon the fate of the position of the army commander, with Hezbollah sources remaining silent on details.

Regarding the presidential issue, sources indicated that no promising development is on the horizon. The meeting between Le Drian and the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, MP Gebran Bassil, was not amicable and lasted only 10 minutes.
Information suggests that Le Drian began by emphasizing the importance of preventing a vacuum in the army commander position, advocating for General Joseph Aoun to remain in his role. 

However, Bassil rejected this discussion, considering it an internal Lebanese matter and rejecting foreign interference. He argued that the proposed solution contradicts the reform process and there are alternative steps to ensure no vacancy. The meeting concluded at this point.

In multiple meetings, the French envoy expressed concern about the potential vacancy in the army commander position, questioning how some Lebanese would accept it at this sensitive stage. He emphasized that the matter is not about a person but the significance of the position.

On another note, Le Drian expressed satisfaction with the trends advocating for a third option in electing the president, stating that despite his warning about a vacancy in the army commander's position, the reality in Lebanon remains unchanged, both on a presidential and southern level. The warning is influenced more by local conflicts and tendencies than his intentions.