Israel and the Lebanese-based militant group Hezbollah are on the verge of a full-scale war.
Several NATO members, including the United States, have issued travel advisories for Lebanon, urging their citizens to immediately leave the country due to the potential for a full-blown war between Israel and the pro-Palestinian armed group Hezbollah.
Tensions escalated rapidly on Saturday after a rocket strike killed 12 children in the Druze city of Majdan Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that the projectile was an Iranian-made Falaq-1 rocket fired by Hezbollah from southern Lebanon. However, the militants denied any involvement in the attack.
The US Embassy released a travel notice on Saturday, advising Americans to “strongly reconsider travel to Lebanon.”
“The security environment remains complex and can change quickly,” the embassy stated.
The UK Foreign Office recommended “against all travel to Lebanon due to risks associated with the ongoing conflict” between Israel and Hezbollah. Similar warnings were issued by France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, and Denmark, as well as non-NATO countries, such as Ireland and Australia.
The IDF and Hezbollah have engaged in sporadic fighting since the war in Gaza began in October. The armed group has repeatedly launched rockets and mortar shells at Israeli positions in solidarity with Hamas and the Palestinians in Gaza, prompting the IDF to retaliate with artillery fire and airstrikes.
In response to Saturday’s strike in the Golan Heights, Israel threatened Hezbollah with an “all-out war,” while Foreign Minister Israel Katz said that the group “crossed all the red lines here, and the response will reflect that.”
The Israeli security cabinet met on Sunday evening and granted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant the authority to determine the timing and scope of further military actions.