France opens war crimes investigation into Israeli military strike in Lebanon, Digi Mart USA News (Paris, France): The crimes against humanity division of the Paris judicial court has appointed two investigating judges to examine suspected war crimes attributed to the Israeli army, the source reports.
The procedure follows a civil party complaint filed in spring 2026 by Franco-Lebanese artist Ali Cherri, with the support of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH). It is the first judicial inquiry opened on French soil concerning Israeli military operations in Lebanon.
The complaint concerns an airstrike on November 26, 2024, in the Noueiri neighborhood of central Beirut. The complainant states that Cherri’s parents, aged 87 and 77, are among the victims.
The attack occurred only a few hours before a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect.
Because Cherri’s parents are not French citizens, French courts could not be seized for homicide. To work around this legal obstacle, the complaint relied on material damage to property belonging to Ali Cherri, who holds dual nationality.
The Paris judges will therefore formally investigate offenses including destruction of civilian property, deliberate attacks against civilians, and use of methods of warfare causing unnecessary suffering.
