Macron, Aoun and Abdullah discuss Lebanese army support amid ongoing Israeli strikes

What happened

Al Jazeera Lebanon reports that French President Emmanuel Macron, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, and Jordan’s King Abdullah II met in Paris to discuss bolstering the Lebanese armed forces and ending Israeli attacks on Lebanon. The talks aimed to review a deployment plan for the Lebanese army and coordinate international support including financial aid, equipment, and training.

Outside Brief is treating this as a source-led account. Any disputed responsibility, casualty figure, battlefield claim or single-source assertion should be treated as unconfirmed/hearsay unless confirmed by another reliable source or a named official. The discussions followed a US-mediated framework deal signed in June between Israel and Lebanon, which proposed disarmament of Hezbollah and a Lebanese army deployment in southern Lebanon, but did not compel Israeli withdrawal from occupied territory. Israeli attacks reportedly continue despite the agreement, heightening tensions and fears of expanded conflict.

A key part of the talks was to plan for the end-of-year expiry of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon’s (UNIFIL) mandate after nearly 50 years. France and Italy expressed interest in forming a multinational coalition to succeed UNIFIL, with Lebanon favoring a European or other international force to prevent a security vacuum in the south.

Known from the source

• French President Emmanuel Macron, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, and Jordan’s King Abdullah II met in Paris on 17 September 2026.
• The meeting aimed to review a Lebanese armed forces deployment plan and discuss backing Lebanon’s army.
• A US-mediated framework agreement was signed between Israel and Lebanon in June 2026.
• The agreement did not require Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon territory it occupies.
• Israeli attacks on Lebanon have continued after June despite the agreement.

What remains unclear

President Aoun emphasized that the Lebanese army is central to protecting sovereignty and maintaining order, asserting its role over other armed groups like Hezbollah, while advocating for non-confrontational disarmament measures. Macron highlighted strengthening Lebanon’s sovereignty and security as essential for regional stability.

What remains unclear: Confirm whether the central claim is corroborated; until then treat it as unconfirmed/hearsay. Exact contents and commitments contained in the Lebanese armed forces deployment plan reviewed in Paris. Detailed status and extent of Israeli attacks on Lebanon since the June framework agreement. Specific nature and planned composition of the proposed multinational force to replace UNIFIL.

Evidence note

This story contains report-led claims. The article keeps those claims attributed and treats them as unconfirmed/hearsay unless independently corroborated.

Original source: Al Jazeera Lebanon. Open the source.