Foreign citizens urged to leave Lebanon ‘as soon as possible’ as regional tensions spike

By Saskya Vandoorne, Teele Rebane, Sophie Tanno, Zeena Saifi, Lucas Lilieholm and Alireza Hajihosseini, CNN

(CNN) — Several countries including the United States, the United Kingdom and France have urged their citizens to leave Lebanon as heightened tensions in the region spark fears of a widening Middle East conflict.

The warnings come after the US said it was sending additional warships to the region and as Washington’s embassy in Lebanon called on citizens to book “any ticket available to them.” Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy said his message for British citizens was, “leave now.”

The region is on high alert after Iran vowed revenge on Israel, which it blames for the assassination of Hamas’ political leader Ismail Haniyeh in the capital Tehran earlier this week. Haniyeh’s death came just hours after an Israeli strike on the Lebanese capital Beirut killed Hezbollah’s most senior military commander, Fu’ad Shukr.

In the latest flurry of diplomatic activity, Iran’s state news agency (IRNA) reported that the Foreign Minister of Jordan was making a rare visit to the Iranian capital Tehran on Sunday, to “meet and exchange views with Iranian officials regarding bilateral, regional and international issues.”

The developments have raised concerns that Israel’s war in Gaza, which is now well into its ninth month, could spill over into a full-blown Middle Eastern conflict.

It is thought that Lebanon-based Hezbollah could play a prominent part in any such retaliation. The militant group has been involved in daily exchanges of fire with Israel; overnight on Saturday Hezbollah fired 30 projectiles, most of which were intercepted by Israel.

On Monday, Hezbollah claimed to have launched a drone attack that hit a military target in northern Israel, calling it retaliation for the recent assassinations and a show of support for Gaza.

Israel launched multiple interceptors at “suspicious aerial targets” that crossed from Lebanon into Upper Galilee, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

Two IDF personnel were injured after one target was downed and firefighters were extinguishing a blaze in the area.

In a separate statement, the IDF claimed to have struck “multiple” Hezbollah targets in Lebanon overnight, including a weapons storage facility. It also said it had identified and shot down a “suspicious aerial target” that crossed from Lebanon Monday morning, and had observed a “hostile explosive UAV” that crossed from Lebanon and fell in the area of Malkia. No damage or injuries were reported from the incidents.

Many countries already had travel warnings in place but have issued fresh advice in the wake of the latest developments.

France told its citizens to make arrangements to leave Lebanon “as soon as possible” in a statement from the Ministry for Europe and Foreign affairs on Sunday.

Jordan issued a similar warning to its citizens. The country was involved in shooting down Iranian drones when Iran launched unprecedented retaliatory strikes in April for a suspected Israeli attack on a diplomatic complex.

Turkey meanwhile updated its travel advisory for Lebanon, urging those who do not need to stay in the country to leave while commercial flights remain active.

“Our citizens should avoid traveling to Lebanon unless it is essential; Our citizens in Lebanon are advised to be cautious, not to go to Nabatiyeh, South Lebanon, Bekaa and Baalbek-Hermel provinces unless necessary, and those who do not need to stay in Lebanon are advised to leave Lebanon, if possible, while commercial flights are still continuing,” Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Öncü Keçeli posted to X on Sunday.

Airlines including Air France, Lufthansa and Kuwaiti Airlines have already canceled flights to and from Lebanon while others diverted planes away from the country.

Preparing for ‘every possibility’

In a further sign of the region bracing for an Iranian retaliation, the US on Saturday sent a carrier strike group, a fighter squadron and additional warships to the Middle East.

It marked perhaps the largest movement of US forces to the region since the early days of the Gaza war, when the Pentagon sent two carrier strike groups toward the Middle East in a very public warning to regional militant groups not to expand the fighting.

White House deputy national security adviser Jon Finer said Sunday that the US and Israel are preparing for “every possibility” after the Pentagon sent the additional military assets.

“We and our ally Israel are preparing for every possibility. And that’s the vein in which the announcements made by the Pentagon took place. All of those posture adjustments are to prepare for a potential response against Israel from Iran or any other adversary,” Finer told CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union.”

And on Sunday, US State Secretary Antony Blinken spoke with the foreign ministers from G7 nations to discuss the “urgent need for de-escalation in the Middle East,” according to a State Department spokesperson.

The spokesperson said Blinken and the foreign ministers discussed ongoing efforts to achieve a ceasefire that would secure hostage releases and the entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza. They also reiterated their commitment to Israel’s security and urged “maximum restraint from all parties” to keep the conflict from escalating.

Israelis have been stocking up on supplies, while a file from the Jerusalem municipality advised residents to “clean and prepare their bomb shelters,” warning they must be able to reach shelters in 90 seconds.

This story has been updated with additional information.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.