China Urges Citizens to Flee Lebanon ASAP

China has advised its citizens in Lebanon to leave the country “as soon as possible” due to escalating tensions following an Israeli strike that killed a senior Palestinian militant. The Chinese embassy in Beirut highlighted the increasingly complex and dangerous security situation, particularly in the southern and Nabatieh regions of Lebanon, which have been designated as extremely high-risk areas.

The embassy urged Chinese nationals to take advantage of commercial flights still operating and return to China or leave Lebanon promptly. The Israeli strike on Wednesday resulted in the death of Khalil Maqdah, a key leader in the Palestinian Fatah movement’s armed wing in Lebanon. This attack has raised concerns of a broader regional conflict, with Fatah accusing Israel of attempting to provoke a wider war.

The incident occurred shortly after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken concluded a Middle East tour aimed at brokering a ceasefire in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. The killing of Maqdah marks the first time Israel has targeted a senior Fatah member in the 10 months of cross-border hostilities with Lebanese militants, mainly from Hezbollah, since the start of the Gaza war.

In recent weeks, several countries have advised their citizens to leave Lebanon, where Hezbollah is headquartered. The Chinese embassy’s latest advisory represents an increased level of urgency compared to earlier warnings, which had merely urged caution for those considering travel to Lebanon.