The US has urged its citizens to leave Lebanon on “any ticket available”, as fears grow that w*r in the Middle East may spread.
The UK, Sweden, France, Canada and Jordan have issued a similar warning.
Iran has vowed “severe” retaliation against Israel, which it blames for the d***h of H***s chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on Wednesday. His a***********n came hours after Israel killed Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut.
It is feared that Lebanon-based Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group, could play a heavy role in any such retaliation, which in turn could spark a serious Israeli response.
Hezbollah launched dozens of rockets at the town of Beit Hillel in northern Israel at around 00:25 local time on Sunday (21:25 GMT Saturday) .
Footage posted on social media showed Israel’s Iron Dome air defence system intercepting the rockets. There have been no reports of casualties.
Israel’s air force responded by striking targets in southern Lebanon.
On Sunday morning, two p****e were killed in a s******g attack in the Israeli city of Holon. The a******r was later “neutralised”, police said.
The US embassy stated on Saturday that those who choose to stay in Lebanon should “prepare contingency plans” and be prepared to “shelter in place for an extended period of time”.
It said that several airlines have suspended and cancelled flights, and many have sold out, but “commercial transportation options to leave Lebanon remain available”.
The Pentagon said it was deploying additional warships and f**********s to the region to help defend Israel from possible attacks by Iran and its proxies.
The UK said it was sending extra m******y personnel, consular staff and border force officials to help with any evacuations – but urged UK citizens to leave Lebanon “while commercial flights are running”.
Two British m******y ships are already in the region and the Royal Air Force has put transport helicopters on standby.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy has said the regional situation “could deteriorate rapidly”.
Meanwhile in Gaza, at least 17 p****e in a school sheltering displaced persons were killed by an Israeli strike, the H***s-run authorities said on Saturday.
The Israeli m******y says the Hamama school in Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood was being used as a command centre for m*******s. H***s has denied it operates from civilian facilities.
Israeli ministers were sent home this weekend with satellite phones in case of an attack on the country’s communication infrastructure.
In April, Iran launched an air attack on Israel using 170 drones, 30 cruise m******s and at least 110 ballistic m******s.
That was in retaliation for the Israeli b*****g of an Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria.
Many fear Iran’s retaliation on this occasion could take a similar form.
In a phone call with EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell on Friday, Iran’s Acting Foreign Minister Ali Baqeri Kani said Iran would “undoubtedly use its inherent and legitimate right” to “punish” Israel.
On Friday, an announcer on Iran’s state TV warned “the world would witness extraordinary scenes”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned Israelis that “challenging days lie ahead… We have heard threats from all sides. We are prepared for any scenario”.
Tensions between Israel and Iran initially escalated with the k*****g of 12 children and teenagers in a strike on the I**************d Golan Heights.
Israel accused Hezbollah and vowed “severe” retaliation, though Hezbollah denied it was involved.
Days later, senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr was killed in a targeted Israeli a********e in Beirut. Four others, including two children, were also killed.
Hours after that, H***s chief Ismail Haniyeh was a**********d in Iran, H***s’s main backer. He was visiting to attend the inauguration of Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has said Israel will suffer a “harsh punishment” for the k*****g.
