‘Critical situation’: On patrol with French forces in Lebanon In the space of a week, Lebanon has faced a series of Hezbollah beeper and walkie-talkie explosions, as well as targeted assassinations in Beirut's southern suburbs. On the ground, 700 French soldiers have deployed. They are among more than 10,000 troops of 40 nationalities forming the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. Their mission: to ensure compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 1701, adopted at the end of the war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006. A huge challenge, as tensions in the region have soared. France 24’s Lucile Wassermann followed these French forces over the weekend, as the situation escalated.