The US Embassy in Beirut urged Americans to leave Lebanon on any available flight. And those who decide to stay - to prepare contingency plans. The British authorities have also called on their citizens to leave Lebanon, UNN reports.
The U.S. Embassy said in a statement that many airlines have suspended or canceled flights to Beirut, and tickets for a significant number of flights have already been sold out.
At the same time, the embassy urges citizens to "book any available ticket, even if the flight does not depart immediately or does not follow the route of their choice." Those who do not have the money for tickets can contact the embassy for financial assistance.
For those who decide to stay in Lebanon, the U.S. Embassy advises "to prepare contingency plans and be prepared to shelter in place for a long time.
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The British authorities also called on their citizens to leave Lebanon.
The report states, "the situation in the country could deteriorate rapidly."
The UK government "continues to warn against all travel to Lebanon and advises British citizens still in the country to leave now while there are commercial opportunities," the statement said
Context
Over the past few days, Israel and the Hezbollah group operating in Lebanon have exchanged a series of strikes. Thus, in the evening of July 27, 12 people were killed in the shelling of the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights - children and teenagers aged 10 to 16. The Israeli authorities blamed Hezbollah for the attack and said that the group had "crossed all the red lines.
"Hezbollah, according to Reuters, is on "high alert" and has "cleared" some key sites in southern Lebanon in case of a possible Israeli attack.