France, April 19 -- French President EmmanuelMacron will meet Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikatiand army chief Joseph Aoun in Paris on Friday todiscuss ways to stabilise the region as Israel reportedly carries out retaliatory strikes on Iran.

Macron's meeting with Mikaticomes as explosions were reported from Iran's central Isfahan province, with US officials telling news outlets that Israel had launched drone attacks.

The attack comes less than a week after Tehran fired a barrage of more than 300 drones and missiles in its first-ever direct assault on Israeli soil.

That move was itself a reprisal for an earlier strike in Syria widely blamed on Israel.

The escalating tit-for-tat between the arch-rivals has prompted global powers to ...