France will send dozens of armored vehicles to the Lebanese army so it can properly carry out patrol missions in the country, France's defence minister said.

Speaking to Lebanon's L'Orient Le Jour newspaper after a trip to the country, Sebastien Lecornu said it was vital to beef up the Lebanese national army so that it could coordinate well with the United Nations peacekeeping force as tensions mount between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

"We will pursue our partnership with military equipment, notably for the transport of troops protected by armor, which is key to maintain patrols," he said, adding that several dozen armored vehicles would be given to the Lebanese army soon.

"Our support for the Lebanese army is for the long-term whatever the current difficulties," Lecornu added.

Paris will also provide medicines and is setting up a joint programme to purchase medical supplies at reasonable prices for the Lebanese army in the future, he said.

France has sought to use its historical relationship with Lebanon to try to defuse tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, but violence has spiked.

Some 700 French soldiers are part of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) established in 1978 following violence on the Israel-Lebanon border.