PARIS, May 31. /TASS/. The continuing escalation in southern Lebanon cannot be justified and must be immediately ended, French President Emmanuel Macron said.

"Nothing justifies the major escalation currently underway in southern Lebanon. France will continue its support for the Lebanese authorities in their efforts to restore state sovereignty and the country's territorial integrity," he said on X.

According to the French leader, stability in the region "must begin with Lebanon, where it is urgent that all weapons fall silent, for good."

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said earlier that the Israeli army has established control of a key strategic height north of the Litani River in Lebanon, home to the Crusader fortress of Beaufort, located at an altitude of 300 meters, 100 kilometers south of Beirut. The Crusaders captured the site in 1139 and built a fortress there, which subsequently changed hands many times. By the early 20th century, the castle was in ruins, but the commanding heights retained their strategic military significance. In the 1970s, Palestine Liberation Organization units established a presence there, shelling Israeli territory. They were driven out by Israeli forces in 1982. Israel controlled Beaufort until 2000 and used the area as a military base. After the Israeli army withdrew from Lebanon in 2000, Beaufort became a stronghold for Hezbollah militias.