The US embassy in Lebanon has joined several other countries in advising its citizens to leave the country due to the escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. The embassy expressed concerns about the possibility of an all-out war and emphasized the importance of taking immediate action to ensure the safety of US citizens. The UK government has also advised British nationals in Lebanon to leave immediately. [4fc30587] France has warned of a highly volatile situation in Lebanon as Iran and its allies prepare their response to high-profile killings blamed on Israel. Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah movement has fired a barrage of rockets at Israel's north, with Israel intercepting most of the projectiles. In a separate incident, two people were killed in a stabbing attack in a Tel Aviv suburb. Saudi Arabia, Canada, and Jordan have also called for their citizens to leave Lebanon. Western airlines have suspended flights to the country. [baf37097] Despite the tensions, no country has initiated the evacuation of its nationals from Israel. The international community is making diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation of the conflict. [abc9097e]
In addition to the escalating tensions in Lebanon, the Canadian government has decided to pull the children and guardians of its diplomats out of Israel due to fears of a widened conflict in the Middle East. Israel's tensions with Iran and Hezbollah have raised concerns of a broader conflict in a region already on edge. Global Affairs Canada has approved the temporary relocation of the diplomats' children and their guardians to a safe third country. Canada has also warned its citizens to avoid all travel to Israel and urges them not to travel to Gaza and the West Bank. The embassies in Tel Aviv and Beirut and the representative office to the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank remain fully operational. The latest bloodshed in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered by an attack from Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, resulting in Israeli casualties and displacement of Palestinians. [e2926fbd]