Britain on Monday urged its nationals to leave Lebanon and advised against traveling there, amid tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.
“We are advising British nationals to leave Lebanon and not to travel to the country. This is a fast-moving situation. FCDO staff are working round the clock to help ensure the safety of British nationals,” wrote British Foreign Secretary David Lammy in a post on X.
The travel advice on the Foreign Office’s website reads, “FCDO continues to advise against all travel to Lebanon. If you are currently in Lebanon, we encourage you to leave, while commercial options remain available.”
The advisory says that the FCDO “advises against all travel to Lebanon due to risks associated with the ongoing conflict between Israel, Lebanese Hezbollah and other non-state actors in Lebanon. There are ongoing mortar and artillery exchanges and airstrikes in Lebanon, primarily on the boundary with Israel but also in parts of the Beqaa Valley and some other locations north of the Litani river.”
“Tensions are high and events could escalate with little warning, which could affect or limit exit routes out of Lebanon. In the event of deterioration in the political or security situation, commercial routes out of Lebanon could be severely disrupted or cancelled at short notice, and roads across the country could be closed. The British embassy may be increasingly limited in the assistance that it can provide. If you are currently in Lebanon, we encourage you to leave,” it adds.
The British warning comes a day after the US Embassy in Beirut issued a security alert for Lebanon, urging citizens to avoid travel to the area.
In a statement, the US Embassy said that it "calls US citizens’ attention to the fact that amid heightened tension in the region, some airlines are adjusting their flight schedules in Lebanon."
On Monday, German airline Lufthansa suspended five routes to and from Beirut, following a Hezbollah rocket attack on a soccer field in Majdal Shams, and fears that Israel would retaliate.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese Middle East Airlines (MEA) postponed the return of some of its flights. According to them, the reason for their decision is insurance risks.
Other airlines which canceled flights to Beirut include Turkish Airlines, Aegean Airlines, and Ethiopian Air, for July 29, and Air France and Transavia for July 29-30.