The U.S. Embassy in Beirut issued a travel advisory Thursday urging U.S. citizens to "strongly reconsider travel to Lebanon," citing a "complex" security environment that "can change quickly."
The warning came after Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Wednesday that Jerusalem prefers a diplomatic solution in connection with the escalating situation amid Hezbollah's ongoing attacks from Lebanon, but also said it could send the country "back ot the Stone Age" if the incidents continue to escalate.
The U.S. Embassy on Thursday urged U.S. citizens to "review the current travel advisory for Lebanon" and to heed its country summary, "which advises that the Lebanese government cannot guarantee the protection of U.S. citizens against sudden outbreaks of violence and armed conflict."
According to reports, the Russian embassy has issued a similar warning. Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands called on citizens to immediately leave Lebanon. Western embassies, particularly those from other European nations, are looking at plans to evacuate citizens by sea, according to reports in Lebanon.
Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces on Wednesday concluded a large-scale combat exercise in the country's north. Jerusalem has insisted that a political solution for the country's border must include "the physical removal of Hezbollah from the border, and we will have to enforce it."
The U.S. Embassy on Thursday specified that Americans in Lebanon should not travel to the southern part of the county, the Lebanon-Syria border, or to refugee settlements.
It also encouraged American citizens to be sure they and their families have valid travel documents, to monitor local and international news, remain aware of their surroundings, avoid all demonstrations and large gatherings, and enroll in the State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), which provides the latest security updates and makes it easier for the embassy to contact them in case of an emergency.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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