The UN Security Council is set to hold an emergency meeting today on the fighting in Lebanon after Israel’s military took over the medieval castle of Beaufort in Lebanese territory, diplomatic sources tell AFP.

Diplomatic sources told AFP that the United Nations Security Council would hold an emergency meeting over Israel’s expansion of its offensive in the country.

The meeting was requested by France, whose President Emmanuel Macron said “nothing justifies the major escalation under way in south Lebanon”, calling for an end to fighting.

A senior US official told AFP yesterday that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the ongoing diplomatic negotiations and asserted that Hezbollah must be the first to cease its attacks.