U.S. citizens urged to leave Lebanon amid escalating conflict

The U.S. State Department recommended on Saturday that U.S. citizens leave Lebanon as soon as possible, emphasizing that the country should be evacuated immediately while it is still possible.

The Israeli army reported on Saturday evening a new wave of airstrikes on southern Lebanon. According to reports, several hundred targets were attacked, and thousands of rocket launchers were destroyed. "Intense shelling began after it was detected that an Iran-backed group was preparing for a rocket attack on Israel," the army added.

Israel announced an air alert after midnight for areas located about 20 miles from the border with Lebanon. "It seems to signal a major Hezbollah attack," the daily "Haaretz" reported.

"The military reported that Hezbollah fired around 10 rockets into the interior of Israel," added the Times of Israel. There are no reports of casualties.

Videos showing the actions of Israeli air defense in the north of the country are circulating on social media.

Earlier on Saturday, civil defense raised the threat level for all areas of Israel located north of Haifa. The last time such a level was introduced was almost a month ago after a major preemptive airstrike on Hezbollah, after which the group fired several hundred rockets at Israel.

In recent days, there has been another escalation on the Israel-Hezbollah line, raising concerns about the outbreak of a full-scale war. Hezbollah has been regularly shelling northern Israel since the outbreak of the war in the Gaza Strip, which is met with counterattacks.

On Friday, Israel attacked residential buildings in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. The army reported that Ibrahim Akil, the commander of Hezbollah's special forces Radwan, and about ten other high-ranking group commanders, who were planning an attack on northern Israel, were killed. In the airstrike, a total of 37 people were killed, including seven women and three children, and 68 were injured, the Lebanese Health Ministry reported on Saturday.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, two waves of coordinated explosions of electronic devices targeting Hezbollah swept through Lebanon. At least 37 people were killed, and about 3,000 were injured. Israel did not comment on the operation, but according to Western media, its services organized the attack. Hezbollah announced revenge on Israel.

Due to ongoing tensions, many airlines have suspended or limited flights to Beirut, Tel Aviv, Tehran, or Amman.