Flights out of Lebanon were sold out as people fled the country ahead of a feared escalation of violence in the Middle East.
Several airlines, including Lufthansa, have already suspended flights to Beirut and some to Tel Aviv.
The US Embassy in Beirut stresses to US citizens in Lebanon: “Many flights have been sold out; however, commercial transportation options out of Lebanon remain available.
“We encourage those wishing to depart Lebanon to book any available ticket, even if that flight does not depart immediately or does not follow the route of their first choice.”
The wealthy G7 group of nations, which includes the US, UK, Germany, France, Japan, Canada and Italy, called for containment and de-escalation in the Middle East on Monday, saying recent events “threatened to trigger a conflict in the region” beyond the Gaza war.
Today, I spoke to my G7 counterparts to urgently press for regional de-escalation.
The UK continues to work around the clock with international partners to reduce tensions in the Middle East.https://t.co/NqBYv1Ib7s
-David Lammy (@DavidLammy) August 4, 2024
Foreign Secretary David Lammy tweeted: “Today I spoke to my G7 counterparts to urgently press for regional de-escalation.
“The UK continues to work around the clock with international partners to reduce tensions in the Middle East.”
The US is mobilizing additional military power in the Middle East as a defensive measure aimed at reducing tensions in the region, a White House official said on Sunday.
Britain has two Royal Navy ships in the Eastern Mediterranean that could be used as part of an evacuation operation.
The Foreign Office has been urging British citizens to leave Lebanon for days and family members of British diplomats have left the country.
British citizens in Lebanon were urged to register with the Foreign Office, a first step towards a possible evacuation mission.
Canada has told its citizens to avoid all travel to Israel, saying the regional conflict endangers security.
France told its citizens to leave Iran.
Regional tensions rose following the assassination on Wednesday of Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of the Palestinian group Hamas, in Tehran, a day after an Israeli attack in Beirut killed Fuad Shukr, a senior military commander of the Lebanese group Hezbollah. . Both groups are supported by Iran.
US President Joe Biden gathered his national security team in the situation room on Monday to discuss developments in the Middle East, the White House said, adding that he would also speak with King Abdullah of Jordan.
American news service Axios reported that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told his G7 counterpart that Iran and Hezbollah could begin attacking Israel as early as Monday, citing three sources briefed on the call. .
But Blinken, according to Axios, said it was unclear how Iran and Hezbollah would attack and did not know the exact timing.
When asked about the report, the State Department referred to a readout of the conference call, which said the ministers discussed “the urgent need for de-escalation in the Middle East.”
The Pentagon said Friday it would send additional fighter jets and Navy warships to the region.
“The overall goal is to lower the temperature in the region, deter and defend against these attacks and avoid regional conflicts,” Jonathan Finer, White House deputy national security adviser, said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”
There was a “very close” regional conflagration in April, he added, when Iran launched an attack on Israeli territory with drones and missiles following what it called an Israeli attack on its consulate in Damascus on April 1, which killed seven Iranian officials. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the Syrian capital.
