France’s president began a visit to Lebanon Friday, where he will meet the crisis-hit country’s newly elected leaders, as the nation attempts to recover from the 14-month Israel-Hezbollah war.

France's President Emmanuel Macron was in Lebanon on Friday, where he was due to meet his newly-elected counterpart and offer support to leaders seeking to open a new chapter in their country's

The French president made the announcement as he visited Beirut in a show of support for Lebanon's new leaders.

French President Emmanuel Macron has called for Israel to accelerate its troop withdrawal from southern Lebanon, in line with a ceasefire agreement made last year. During his visit to Beirut, he supported strengthening Lebanon's military and assured France’s backing for their efforts in southern territories.

BEIRUT (Reuters) -French President Emmanuel Macron called on Israel on Friday to accelerate its troop withdrawal from southern Lebanon, as a deadline nears for the pullout under the terms of a ceasefire that ended the war with Hezbollah last year.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday called for efforts to bolster the fragile ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah movement during his visit to Beirut. Speaking in the Lebanese capital,