French President Emmanuel Macron noted that Paris is hosting a meeting of international partners aimed at strengthening Lebanon's sovereignty and enabling it to fully guarantee its security, stressing that Lebanon's stability constitutes an essential step toward peace in the Middle East. Macron said in a post on the "X" platform that "France is working to support the Lebanese army, which is indispensable for asserting the authority of the Lebanese state over its entire territory." Regarding regional affairs, Macron stressed that amid the ongoing tension in the Middle East, escalation can only be ended through diplomacy and dialogue, and those attending stressed the necessity of guaranteeing freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.