ISTANBUL

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed escalating Mideast tensions Friday amid Israel's onslaught in the Gaza Strip and attacks in Lebanon, according to Saudi Arabia’s official news agency SPA.

The two leaders also discussed efforts to reduce tensions and promote security and stability, during a telephone call.

At a summit earlier in the day of European and Mediterranean leaders in Cyprus, Marcon said halting the export of weapons used in Gaza and Lebanon was crucial to ending the conflict.

He condemned what he described as the “absolutely unacceptable" deliberate targeting of UN peacekeepers in Lebanon by Israeli forces.

Macron stressed that stopping arms exports is the key to bringing an end to the violence.