The Foreign Office has issued a new “do not travel” warning for Israel after Lebanon‘s Hezbollah said it fired over 320 middles and drone at almost a dozen Israeli military bases and barracks.
Hezbollah, which western states including the US, UK and Israel designate as a terrorist organisation, had repeatedly warned that it would retaliate against the killing of its top commander Fuad Shukr at the end of July.
Minutes before the Iran-backed group’s rocket attacks the Israel Defense Force (IDF) launched strikes inside Lebanon in “self-defence”. These pre-emptive strikes killed at least one person and injured four others.
The tensions come as Israel‘s bombardment and ground offensive in Gaza, ruled by fellow Iran proxy Hamas, continues, with over 40,000 people killed in the enclave since the invasion began in October, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu launched the offensive after Hamas terrorists unleashed a wave of slaughter in Israel on October 7, killing some 1,200 people, with hundreds more taken hostage.
Amid fears of serious escalations between Israel and Hezbollah, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office has put out new travel advice for the region and advises against all travel to parts of Israel, and a map showing no-go areas.
The FCDO advises against travel to the following areas
Gaza
All travel to Gaza.
Areas near Gaza
The area close to the border with Gaza that includes:
- south-west of Ashkelon
- south of route 35 and west of route 40 as far as Tlalim, not including Be’er Sheva
- west of Be’er Sheva
- north of route 211
The West Bank
The West Bank, excluding East Jerusalem and Route 1 between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv
Northern Israel
- north of Acre, north of Route 85 to the northern tip of the Sea of Galilee and north of Route 87 in the Golan Heights
- the Sheba’a Farms and Ghajjar
- within 500m of the border with Syria (the ‘Alpha Line’)
- The Israeli military has announced that the area within 5km of the border with Lebanon is a closed military zone and entry is prohibited. Recently evacuated communities in northern Israel:
- Beit Hillel
- Dan
- Eilon
- Even Menachem
- Goren
- Granot Ha’Galil
- HaGoshrim
- Liman
- Matsuva
- Ramot Naftali
- Sasa
- She’ar Yeshuv
- Snir
- Tzivon
The rest of Israel and the OPTs
All but essential travel to the rest of Israel and the OPTs is also advised against.
People in areas affected by the fighting are urged to follow the instructions of Israeli Home Front Command. To find these:
A state of emergency across the whole of Israel amid the soaring tensions with Hezbollah. International borders (air and land) in Israel and the OPTs could close at short notice, the department warns, calling on people there to check the travel advice for any neighbouring country that you are planning to travel to or through.
“Before travelling within Israel or the OPTs, check the local measures in place, that roads are open and, where appropriate, that scheduled train and bus services are operating,” the FCDO says on its website.
“Monitor this travel advice and other media as the situation is changing fast. Follow and contact FCDO travel on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. You can also get email notifications when this travel advice is updated,” it adds.