A growing number of countries are asking their citizens to leave Lebanon as they fear Iran will retaliate against Israel for the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniya and senior Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukr.
Today, France was added to the list of countries advising its citizens to leave Lebanon while flights are still operating after several airlines suspended flights. The French Foreign Ministry reiterated that it recommends that French citizens not travel to Lebanon.
The countries that have issued warnings so far are:
-France
-United States
-United Kingdom
-Netherlands
-Canada
-India
-Jordan
-Saudi Arabia
-Germany
-Ireland
-Norway
-Sweden
-Belgium
-Denmark
-Australia
-Russia
-Spain
The US embassy in Beirut urged American citizens to leave “on any plane ticket available”. Although many flights to and from the capital have been canceled or postponed, “there are options available,” the embassy said in its statement. “We encourage those wishing to leave Lebanon to book whatever ticket is available, even if the flight does not depart immediately or does not follow the route of their choice,” he added.
In his own statement, Britain’s foreign secretary also urged British citizens to leave “now” that “commercial flights are available”. “Tensions have risen and the situation could deteriorate rapidly (…) My message to British citizens is clear: leave now,” David Lammy said.
The Foreign Office has asked Britons remaining in Lebanon to report this to their local consular authorities so that they are kept informed of developments. According to London “military personnel” will soon be deployed “in the area” to provide support to British embassies and help British citizens. Royal Air Force helicopters will also be “on standby” to intervene if needed.
Mass rocket launch by Hezbollah towards Israel
We already had a first indication of further escalation of tension in the Middle East on Saturday night when Hezbollah announced that it had launched “dozens” of rockets against Israel, in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza and in retaliation for the recent Israeli attacks on areas in southern Lebanon.
“The Islamic Resistance included the settlement of Beit Hillel (in northern Israel) in its list of targets and bombarded it for the first time with dozens of rockets,” the pro-Iranian movement said in a statement.
Hezbollah launched more than 50 rocket strikes early this morning. If that was main offensive, it would be a bit boring.pic.twitter.com/8P4DJbah7B
Hezbollah launched more than 50 rocket strikes early this morning. If that was the end of the offensive, it would be a bit boring.— Fanwai Federation FANWAI 🇺🇦 (@dsbxtw9991) August 4, 2024
According to Israeli media, most of the rockets were intercepted by air defense systems.
#Hezbollah announced on Saturday that it had fired multiple #Katyusha rockets into #Israelmarking the latest in a series of assaults it claims are in solidarity with the #Palestinian cause. #Lebanon #Hamas #ismailhaniye pic.twitter.com/QmDQawAZnu
— Channel 8 English (@Channel8English) August 3, 2024
Gaza: Deadly strikes on school and hospital
Meanwhile, Israel’s war machine continues unabated to kill civilians in Gaza.
At least 17 people were killed in yesterday’s Israeli strike on a school complex in Gaza, according to the latest tally released by the civil protection service of the Palestinian enclave. For its part, the Israeli military claims it hit a Hamas command center.
“Seventeen martyrs and many wounded are the toll of the Israeli bombardment at the school in Hamama,” says the announcement of the civil protection service in Gaza. The previous count was ten dead.
Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif reported on the Israeli attack on the Hamama school in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood of Gaza City when warplanes hit the school again:
“While we were documenting the carnage inside this school, the evacuees received calls from the Israeli army ordering them to evacuate the building immediately because it was going to be targeted again,” he said.
“Bodies are everywhere and doctors are pulling them out and body parts everywhere … it’s a big carnage.”
The Israeli Armed Forces (IDF) confirmed the strike in the area, underlining that it targeted “terrorists” in a “Hamas command and control center”, formerly known as “Hamamah School, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip”. “From there, various terrorist attacks against Israeli soldiers were planned and launched. In addition, Hamas weapons were manufactured and stored at the compound,” the IDF statement said.
Mahmoud Basal, a spokesman for the civil protection agency in Gaza, said earlier that the school compound had been sheltered by displaced people who were forced to flee their homes due to Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip, which began on October 7 following the unprecedented attack. of Hamas in Israel.
Israeli forces also shelled tents housing displaced Palestinians in the courtyard of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir el-Balah, killing at least three and wounding 18 others. The attack came hours after the deadly strike at the Gaza school.
Large deployment of warships and aircraft by the US
In a major development of warships and fighter aircraft, the US is proceeding in the Middle East to be ready to assist in the defense of Israel, obviously anticipating that attacks will occur from Iran and its proxies, but also in an attempt to prevent it, with so much great firepower they concentrate on the flammable area.
Tensions remain high in the Middle East region days after the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniya in Iran and a top commander of the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah.
Missile defense forces have been put on heightened alert for deployment, the Pentagon said, adding that its commitment to defend Israel was “ironclad.”
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