The US embassy in Beirut has advised its citizens to leave Lebanon using "any available ticket" due to escalating tensions in the Middle East.
This warning follows a similar alert from UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who cautioned that the regional situation "could deteriorate rapidly."
Iran has promised "severe" retaliation against Israel, holding it responsible for the assassination of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on Wednesday. This killing occurred shortly after Israel targeted and killed Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut. There are concerns that Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group based in Lebanon, could significantly escalate the conflict, potentially triggering a serious response from Israel.
The US embassy's advisory on Saturday emphasized that those opting to stay in Lebanon should "prepare contingency plans" and be ready to "shelter in place for an extended period." While many airlines have suspended or canceled flights, and others are sold out, some commercial transportation options remain available.
The Pentagon has announced the deployment of additional warships and fighter jets to the region to bolster Israel's defenses against potential attacks from Iran and its proxies. Similarly, the UK is dispatching extra military personnel, consular staff, and border force officials to assist with any evacuations, urging its citizens to leave Lebanon "while commercial flights are running." Two British military ships are already in the region, and the Royal Air Force has transport helicopters on standby.
David Lammy emphasized that it is "in no-one’s interest for this conflict to spread across the region." The situation intensified in April when Iran launched an air attack on Israel using drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles, retaliating against an Israeli bombing of an Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria. There are fears that Iran's current retaliation could be similar.
Iran's Acting Foreign Minister Ali Baqeri Kani told EU Foreign Policy Chief Joseph Borrell on Friday that Iran would "undoubtedly use its inherent and legitimate right" to "punish" Israel. An announcer on Iran's state TV warned that "the world would witness extraordinary scenes."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned of "challenging days" ahead and stated that Israel is "prepared for any scenario." Israeli ministers were sent home with satellite phones in case of an attack on the country's communication infrastructure.
Tensions between Israel and Iran have been escalating, particularly after the killing of 12 children and teenagers in a strike on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Israel blamed Hezbollah and promised "severe" retaliation, although Hezbollah denied involvement. Subsequently, senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr was killed in an Israeli air strike in Beirut, which also claimed the lives of four others, including two children. Hours later, Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Iran, where he was visiting to attend the inauguration of Iran's new president, Masoud Pezeshkian.
During Haniyeh's funeral in Tehran on Thursday, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei led the prayers and vowed that Israel would face a "harsh punishment" for the killing. Meanwhile, in Gaza, 10 people in a school sheltering displaced persons were killed by an Israeli strike. The Israeli military claimed the school was being used as a command center for militants, a charge that Hamas denied. Photo by Heinz Hövel, Wikimedia commons.