The Foreign Office has sounded the alarm for Britons in or planning trips to 19 countries, including popular destinations such as Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco, due to the escalating tensions between Israel and Lebanon.
On Sunday, officials highlighted the “ongoing hostilities” as a cause for concern, urging travellers to stay informed as “the situation is changing fast”.
Specifically, the advisory affects those in Egypt, Bahrain, Algeria, UAE, Tunisia, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Israel, The Occupied Palestinian Territories, Qatar, Oman, Morocco, Libya, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Lebanon. UK nationals in Lebanon are advised to depart immediately.
For Brits in the other nations mentioned, the Foreign Office warns: “Ongoing hostilities between Israel and Lebanon could escalate quickly and pose risks for the wider region. 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. Read FCDO advice if you’re affected by a crisis abroad.”
On Sunday, an Israeli air strike in north-east Lebanon resulted in the death of 11 people. This comes just a day after the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah confirmed the deaths of several commanders, including their long-standing leader Hassan Nasrallah.
The state news agency of Lebanon reported that the attack, which took place early on Sunday, completely destroyed a home in a village, killing all 11 occupants.
Six bodies have been retrieved from the debris, while the search for the remaining five continues in the village of al-Ain, as per the National News Agency. The Israeli army has stated that it is targeting Hezbollah locations in Lebanon.
Since September 23, when Israel escalated its air strikes across the country, more than 700 people have lost their lives in Lebanon. This has led to mass displacement, with tens of thousands fleeing their homes in south Lebanon, the eastern Bekaa Valley and Beirut’s southern suburb known as Dahiyeh.
According to the United Nations, the number of displaced individuals has more than doubled, now exceeding 211,000.