China has urged its citizens to leave Lebanon “as soon as possible” following an Israeli strike that killed a leader from the Palestinian Fatah movement in the country’s south.
The Chinese Embassy in Beirut issued a statement today, highlighting the ongoing tension at the Lebanon-Israel border and describing the security situation in Lebanon as “dangerous and complex.”
The embassy’s statement indicated that the current travel risk level to southern Lebanon and Nabatiyeh is red (the highest level of danger), while other areas are marked orange (high risk).
The embassy advised Chinese nationals currently in Lebanon to take advantage of the availability of commercial flights to return to China or leave the country as quickly as possible.
This escalation follows intensified Israeli airstrikes targeting Lebanon, which for the first time on Wednesday included a strike against a Fatah movement leader since the war in Gaza began.
Fatah, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, accused Israel of trying to “ignite the region” by assassinating Khalil Al-Muqaddah.
Amid increasing tensions in the region, further fueled by the assassination of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and the ongoing war on Gaza, numerous countries have in recent weeks advised their citizens to leave Lebanon.
Until recently, the Chinese embassy had only advised its nationals to “exercise caution” while travelling to Lebanon.
