Urging Iran against destabilising Syria, France says backs Israeli security

The French government urged Iran on Wednesday to refrain from destabilizing actions in Syria and said it remained committed to Israel's security. Israel said its aircraft struck dozens of Iranian and Syrian military targets in Syria on Wednesday in retaliation for rockets fired towards Israel a day earlier.

"France reaffirms its unwavering commitment to Israel's security," Foreign ministry spokeswoman Agnes von der Muhll told reporters in a daily online briefing. "It reaffirms that there is no military solution to the Syrian crisis and stresses the need to avoid a dangerous escalation of tensions in the Middle East. It asks Iran to refrain from any destabilizing activity in Syria."