“Exercise extreme caution”: India ‘strongly advises” its nationals to leave Lebanon as tensions escalate

The Indian Embassy in Lebanon on Thursday, advised all Indian nationals to leave Lebanon as tensions escalates in the region after the rocket attack at Golan Heights.

The embassy advised the Indian nationals to not travel to Lebanon till further notice.

“In view of recent developments and potential threats in the region, Indian nationals are strongly advised against travelling to Lebanon till further notice. All Indian nationals are also strongly advised to leave Lebanon,” the Indian embassy in Lebanon said in a statement.

Meanwhile, it further advised the Indian nationals living in Lebanon to exercise extreme caution and avoid any movements.

It also asked them to remain in touch with the Indian embassy in Beirut.

“Those who remain for any reason are advised to exercise extreme caution, restrict their movements and remain in contact with Embassy of India in Beirut through their email id: cons.beirut@mea.gov.in or the emergency phone number +96176860128,” it stated.

Tensions have further escalated after the rocket attack at Golan Heights, allegedly fired by Hezbollah killed 12 children.

In response to the attack at Golan Heights, The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said that top Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr was killed in the Israeli strike in southern Lebanon on Tuesday (local time).

Fuad Shukr, the “most senior Hezbollah military commander,” was killed in the Israeli strike, the IDF said in a statement. Shukr sat on the Jihad Council, Hezbollah’s top military body, and was considered to be the head of its strategic division.

Since the October 7 attack by Hamas, he has been managing Hezbollah’s attacks against Israel, including the deadly strike in Majdal Shams over the weekend that killed 12 children, according to the military.

The IDF says Shukr was “responsible for the majority of Hezbollah’s most advanced weaponry, including precise-guided missiles, cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, long-range rockets, and UAVs” and for the terror group’s “force build-up, planning, and execution of terror attacks against the State of Israel,” as reported by The Times of Israel.

Moreover, earlier today, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) announced that Hamas military wing commander Mohammed Deif had been killed in an airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip on July 13.

In a post on X, IDF stated, “We can now confirm: Mohammed Deif was eliminated.”

Israel’s confirmation regarding Deif comes a day after Hamas’ political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh was killed in an attack in Iran’s capital, Tehran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Wednesday, Press TV reported.

In a statement to Mehr News Agency, the IRGC said that Ismail Haniyeh and one of his bodyguards were killed after their residence was targeted in Tehran.

On Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that his nation has delivered “crushing blows” to enemies in the last few days, CNN reported. He made the remarks hours after the deaths of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh and senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr.