France, Italy and Britain urge citizens to leave Lebanon
The Pentagon says it will deploy additional fighter jets and warships to the region due to rising tension
04 August 2024 - 19:53
byLeigh Thomas and Gianluca Semeraro
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Supporters of Hamas and Hezbollah protest in Sidon, Lebanon, August 2 2024. Picture: REUTERS/ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS
Paris/Milan — France, Italy and Britain on Sunday urged their citizens in Lebanon to leave the country due to the risk of military escalation in the Middle East, their foreign ministries said
Tensions have soared following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, leader of Palestinian group Hamas, in Tehran on Wednesday, a day after an Israeli strike in Beirut killed Fuad Shukr, a top military commander from Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.
The Pentagon said on Friday it would deploy additional fighter jets and warships to the region.
In two separate travel advisories, the French foreign ministry recommended citizens residing in Iran to temporarily leave the country given the risk of its airspace being closed. The ministry had urged citizens travelling in Iran to leave on Friday.
The ministry also called on its citizens in Lebanon, especially those on trips there, to take advantage of commercial flights still available to leave.
Italy’s foreign minister Antonio Tajani on X urged Italians temporarily in Lebanon not to travel at all to the south of the country and to return to Italy as soon as possible by commercial flights, “given the deteriorating situation”.
“We also call on Italian tourists not to travel to Lebanon,” he added.
Air France said on Saturday it and its affiliate, Transavia, were extending their suspensions of flights between Paris and Beirut until August 6.
French foreign minister Stephane Sejourne and US secretary of state Antony Blinken shared their concern over rising frictions in the Middle East in a phone call on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Britain said it had withdrawn the families of embassy staff in Beirut due to the volatile security situation there and reiterated a call for citizens in the country to leave.
“We are deeply concerned with the highly volatile security situation in Lebanon,” a foreign office spokesperson said, saying additional consular officials, border force and military personnel had been deployed to the region.
“We have also temporarily withdrawn the families of officials working at the British Embassy Beirut... All British nationals should leave Lebanon now, while commercial routes are still available.”
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
France, Italy and Britain urge citizens to leave Lebanon
The Pentagon says it will deploy additional fighter jets and warships to the region due to rising tension
Paris/Milan — France, Italy and Britain on Sunday urged their citizens in Lebanon to leave the country due to the risk of military escalation in the Middle East, their foreign ministries said
Tensions have soared following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, leader of Palestinian group Hamas, in Tehran on Wednesday, a day after an Israeli strike in Beirut killed Fuad Shukr, a top military commander from Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.
The Pentagon said on Friday it would deploy additional fighter jets and warships to the region.
In two separate travel advisories, the French foreign ministry recommended citizens residing in Iran to temporarily leave the country given the risk of its airspace being closed. The ministry had urged citizens travelling in Iran to leave on Friday.
The ministry also called on its citizens in Lebanon, especially those on trips there, to take advantage of commercial flights still available to leave.
Italy’s foreign minister Antonio Tajani on X urged Italians temporarily in Lebanon not to travel at all to the south of the country and to return to Italy as soon as possible by commercial flights, “given the deteriorating situation”.
“We also call on Italian tourists not to travel to Lebanon,” he added.
Air France said on Saturday it and its affiliate, Transavia, were extending their suspensions of flights between Paris and Beirut until August 6.
French foreign minister Stephane Sejourne and US secretary of state Antony Blinken shared their concern over rising frictions in the Middle East in a phone call on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Britain said it had withdrawn the families of embassy staff in Beirut due to the volatile security situation there and reiterated a call for citizens in the country to leave.
“We are deeply concerned with the highly volatile security situation in Lebanon,” a foreign office spokesperson said, saying additional consular officials, border force and military personnel had been deployed to the region.
“We have also temporarily withdrawn the families of officials working at the British Embassy Beirut... All British nationals should leave Lebanon now, while commercial routes are still available.”
Reuters
EXPLAINER: What Haniyeh’s assassination means for Middle East
Fighting rages in southern Gaza
Iran-backed Houthis claim drone attack on Tel Aviv
Hezbollah warns it will hit new areas in Israel
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