France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs said in a statement that it is in contact with the Lebanese authorities and France’s partners in the region to prevent any destabilisation and conflagration “following the confirmation of the assassination of Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah”, Al Jazeera reports.

The ministry also stressed that the security and protection of civilians must be guaranteed.

Israel carried out a large strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs Friday evening, which it says targeted the Hezbollah secretary-general, flattening at least six residential buildings in the process.