UPDATE - US, UK urge nationals to immediately leave Lebanon amid fears of wider escalation with Israel

UPDATE WITH MORE DETAILS

By Esra Tekin, Rania Abu Shamala and Aysu Bicer

ISTANBUL / LONDON (AA) - The US and UK issued warnings Saturday to their nationals to immediately leave Lebanon amid fears of a wider escalation with Israel.

The US Embassy in Beirut said some flights by several airlines have been canceled but “commercial transportation options to leave Lebanon remain available.”

“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. US citizens who lack funds to return to the United States may contact the embassy for financial assistance via repatriation loans,” it said in a statement.

It urged those who decide to remain to “prepare contingency plans for emergency situations and be prepared to shelter in place for an extended period of time.”

The UK emphasized that “the UK continues to advise against all travel to Lebanon and advises British nationals still in the country to leave now while commercial options remain available.”

"Family of officials working at the British Embassy Beirut have been temporarily withdrawn from the region. The Embassy is continuing with essential work, including providing services to British nationals," the UK government said.

Following recent developments in the Middle East, airlines from the US, Netherlands, India, the UK, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, France and Poland announced they had canceled some flights to Israel and Lebanon for security reasons.

Lebanon is currently in a state of heightened security and military alert following an Israeli airstrike on a southern suburb of Beirut on Tuesday, which resulted in the assassination of senior Hezbollah leader Fuad Shukr.​​​​​​​