‘Leave immediately,’ Saudi Arabia urges citizens to depart Lebanon amid Hezbollah threats

Saudi Arabia has urged its citizens to leave Lebanon “immediately”, sparking fears of Hezbollah’s entry into a conflict primarily confined to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.

It was also reported that the kingdom’s embassy in Beirut was shut down following concerning developments in southern Lebanon where at least 18 people were killed during an exchange of fire with Israeli troops.

Israeli military Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi Tuesday (Oct 17) warned that his nation would retaliate aggressively should Hezbollah escalate.

“If Hezbollah makes a mistake, it will be annihilated,” he declared while meeting Israeli troops stationed on the country’s border with Lebanon.

‘Day of rage’

After a strike at a Gazan hospital killed hundreds on Tuesday, Hezbollah called for a “day of rage” against Israel.

Following this, hundreds of protesters gathered in Beirut's southern suburbs on Wednesday to stage demonstrations.

This has sparked fears that a wider conflict could erupt should Iran-backed Hezbollah decide to enter the war. The Saudi embassy statement said citizens remaining in Lebanon should "exercise caution and stay away from places where gatherings or demonstrations are taking place".

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Kuwait this week also warned its citizens against travelling to Lebanon.

The Kuwaiti foreign ministry said citizens wishing to visit "should be patient and postpone travel during this stage" and those already in the country should "return voluntarily if there is no urgent need for their presence".

Earlier, the US also warned American citizens on Tuesday not to travel there.

Saudi-Iran discussions

Earlier on Wednesday (Oct 18), Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan discussed the Gaza war with his Iranian counterpart in Jeddah.

The discussions took place on the sidelines of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s emergency session on the situation in Gaza.

The foreign minister reaffirmed that Saudi Arabia remains steadfast in its commitment to the Palestinian cause and supporting efforts aimed at achieving a comprehensive peace plan that guarantees the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, according to Saudi Arabia’s state media.

(With inputs from agencies)

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