Multiple Western nations, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, are urging their citizens to depart Lebanon immediately amidst escalating tensions in the Middle East. This comes in the wake of the assassination of Hamas’s political leader Ismail Haniyeh, which Iran has attributed to Israel and the US.
The recent killings of Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah’s military chief Fuad Shukr in Beirut have sparked threats of retaliation from Iran and the “axis of resistance”. The conflict between Lebanese group Hezbollah, an ally of Hamas, and the Israeli army has intensified since the Israeli incursion into Gaza last October.
With Iran-backed groups from various countries being drawn into the conflict, the region is on edge following the assassinations of Haniyeh and Shukr. The fear of a broader regional conflict looms large.
The Israeli Iron Dome air defence system fires to intercept an attack from Lebanon over the Galilee region as seen from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights [Leo Correa/AP]
In response, the US has announced the deployment of additional warships and fighter jets to the region and advised its citizens in Lebanon to depart using any available means. The US embassy in Beirut has also advised nationals to make contingency plans if they opt to stay in Lebanon.
The UK’s Foreign Office has echoed similar sentiments, urging its citizens to leave Lebanon immediately while commercial options are still viable. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy emphasized the urgency of the situation and advised British nationals to evacuate promptly.
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