Leave Lebanon, Germany urges citizens

BERLIN (AFP) — Germany on Wednesday urged its citizens to leave Lebanon as soon as possible due to the risk of escalating violence between Israel and Hezbollah.

Israel and Hezbollah, an Iran-backed ally of Hamas in Lebanon, have traded near-daily cross-border fire since the Palestinian militant group’s 7 October attack on Israel sparked the war in the Gaza Strip.

Tensions have been rising in recent days with growing exchanges of fire.

On Wednesday Berlin’s foreign ministry updates its travel guidance for the country, saying: “German nationals are urgently requested to leave Lebanon.”

“The current heightened tensions in the border area with Israel could escalate further at any time,” the ministry said.

There is also an “increased risk of terrorist attacks” in Lebanon, which could be directed against Western foreigners or large hotels, it said.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock cautioned on Tuesday that “miscalculation” could trigger all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah, urging the need for “extreme restraint” as tensions soar.

“With every rocket across the Blue Line between Lebanon and Israel, the danger grows that a miscalculation could trigger a hot war,” Baerbock said on X during a visit to Beirut, referring to the demarcation line between Israel and Lebanon.