By Abdulsalam Fayez
CAIRO (AA) - Egypt advised its nationals Wednesday to avoid traveling to Lebanon, citing Israeli military strikes.
“Given the rapidly evolving situation in Lebanon and the intensifying military operations along the Israeli-Lebanese border, we urge Egyptians to avoid traveling to Lebanon unless absolutely necessary,” according to a Foreign Ministry statement.
It urged nationals in Lebanon to exercise caution, avoid conflict zones, follow instructions by Lebanese authorities and stay in contact with the Egyptian Embassy in Beirut.
EgyptAir said Tuesday it suspended flights from Cairo to Beirut until conditions stabilize in Lebanon.
Israel has launched waves of deadly airstrikes on Lebanon since early Monday that have killed nearly 610 victims and injured more than 2,000, according to Lebanese health authorities.
The Lebanese resistance group, Hezbollah, and Israel have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the start of the Israeli onslaught against Gaza, which has killed more than 41,400 victims, mostly women and children, following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, last Oct. 7.
The international community has warned against the strikes on Lebanon, as they raise the specter of spreading the Gaza conflict regionally.
*Writing by Mohammad Sio