US, UK embassies have urged citizens to leave Lebanon

Shafaq News/ The US and UK embassies have urged their citizens to leave Lebanon amid fears of all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah and a broader regional conflict.

In a statement, the US embassy in Lebanon urged its citizens to leave Lebanon on "any ticket available".

Despite flight suspensions and cancellations, "commercial transportation options to leave Lebanon remain available", the US embassy statement said. "We encourage those who wish to depart Lebanon to book any ticket available to them, even if that flight does not depart immediately or does not follow their first-choice route."

The UK government similarly urged its citizens in Lebanon to leave the country immediately with fears violence in the region may spread.

In a statement, the foreign ministry said British nationals should depart the Middle Eastern country "now while commercial options remain available".

"Tensions are high, and the situation could deteriorate rapidly," UK Foreign Minister David Lammy said in a statement. "While we are working round the clock to strengthen our consular presence in Lebanon, my message to British nationals there is clear -- leave now."

The Foreign Office said it was "strengthening" its support for Britons in the country by deploying "border force, consular officials and military personnel to the region".

Fears of a regional Middle East war grew after the assassination of Hamas's political leader, blamed on Israel, triggered vows of vengeance from Iran-backed Middle East groups.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards announced earlier this week that Mr Haniyeh and a bodyguard were killed in a pre-dawn strike on their accommodation in Tehran.

It came just hours after Israel killed a top Hezbollah commander, Fuad Shukr, in a retaliatory strike in the south of Lebanon's capital Beirut.