France urges nationals to leave Lebanon amid Hezbollah-Israel escalation

By Salim Boussaid

TUNIS, Tunisia (AA) - The French Embassy in Beirut on Sunday called on French citizens in Lebanon to leave the country as soon as possible amid rising border tensions between Hezbollah and Israel.

In a statement, the embassy advised French citizens to avoid traveling to Lebanon and those currently in the country to exercise “extreme caution.”

The embassy stressed that direct and commercial flights between Lebanon and France “are still available.”

Tension has escalated between Hezbollah and Israel since Tel Aviv assassinated senior military commander Fouad Shukr in an airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburb on Tuesday.

Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh was also assassinated in Tehran the following day, in an attack blamed on Israel although Tel Aviv has not confirmed or denied its responsibility.

Hamas and Iran have vowed to retaliate for Haniyeh's assassination, while Hezbollah has pledged to respond to Shukr's killing.

Fears have grown over a full-blown war between Israel and Hezbollah amid a months-long exchange of cross-border fire.

The escalation comes against the backdrop of an Israeli onslaught on Gaza, which has killed nearly 40,000 victims since last October, following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi in Ankara