As the majority of Western embassies have also examined the Lebanese coast for potential sites from which to evacuate their citizens by sea. According to the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, a war between Israel and the Hezbollah organization on the country’s southern border could break out at any time.

Hezbollah and the IDF have exchanged fire since October 8, with the group justifying its attacks as efforts to express solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip amid Israel’s war with Hamas. In recent weeks, a number of countries have sounded the alarm that an escalation to the ongoing skirmishes is imminent.