France blames Hezbollah for deadly Lebanon ambush

A second French peacekeeper has died from injuries sustained in a weekend ambush in southern Lebanon that France has attributed to Hezbollah. Corporal First Class Anicet Girardin, 31, was seriously wounded while attempting to rescue his commanding officer, Staff Sergeant Florian Montorio, who was killed in the Saturday attack. Macron confirmed Girardin's death on social media, saying "He died for France." The soldiers were part of a UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) demining operation when they came under fire from concealed Hezbollah fighters at close range. The ambush occurred as the French unit was working to clear an unexploded device from a road in southern Lebanon. Despite Hezbollah's denial of involvement, France holds the Shiite militia responsible for the attack. Girardin, who specialized in canine handling, was part of the 132nd Cynological Infantry Regiment from Suippes. He was repatriated to France on Tuesday but succumbed to his wounds Wednesday morning, making him the third French military casualty in the Middle East since U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 27, following the death of Sergeant Arnaud Frion in an Iraq drone attack last month. French Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin detailed that Girardin was wounded as he went to the aid of Montorio, who had just fallen under fire. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, visiting Paris, condemned the attack and reiterated his government's commitment to investigating the incident and curbing Hezbollah's operational capacity. Macron expressed support for Lebanon's efforts while framing the assault as part of a conflict he said was not of Lebanon's own choosing, reinforcing France's position that UNIFIL's mission remains essential for eventual Hezbollah disarmament.