Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati arrived in Paris on Friday to meet French President Emmanuel Macron as the Middle East conflict continued to escalate.

Footage shows Mikati arriving alongside army chief Joseph Aoun, being greeted by Macron and entering the Elysee Palace.

Following the EU summit on Thursday, Macron stated that 'we need to keep a close eye on the stability of Lebanon'.

The meeting came as Lebanon deals with an economic crisis, as well as cross-border clashes between militant group Hezbollah and Israeli forces, amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

Israel also allegedly launched a number of strikes on Iran on Friday. Tehran reported a number of explosions which it claimed were its own air defences hitting several drones. The attack was described as being by 'infiltrators' rather than Israel.

According to media reports, Iranian officials have claimed there were no plans to respond, adding that the 'foreign source has not been confirmed' and the country had 'not received any external attack'. Israel has not commented.

Friday's reports came as Israel suggested it could retaliate after Tehran launched hundreds of drones and missiles at the country last weekend. That action itself came as a response to the alleged Israeli airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus on April 1 - which Israel has not accepted responsibility for.

Israel's Western allies repeatedly warned against further strikes, although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said 'we will make our own decisions'.