US, UK urge nationals to leave Lebanon, Air France halts flights
- Both the US and UK governments on Saturday urged their citizens in Lebanon to leave the country immediately, amid fears of all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah and a broader regional conflict.
Fears of a regional Middle East war grew on Saturday after the assassination of Hamas's political leader Ismail Haniyeh, blamed on Israel, triggered vows of vengeance from Iran-backed Middle East groups. The killings are the latest of several major incidents that have inflamed regional tensions during the Gaza war, which has drawn in Iran-backed militant groups in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen.
"With the potential for exit routes out of Lebanon – including roads – being affected, limited, or closed, due to events escalating with little warning, teams will continue to urge British nationals to leave while commercial options 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."The United States said it would move additional warships and fighter jets to the region as the Iran-aligned "Axis of Resistance" readied its response to the killing of Ismail Haniyeh.