Irish citizens advised to leave Lebanon amid ‘highly volatile’ situation

Irish citizens have been advised to leave Lebanon by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

In a statement issued on Wednesday evening the department also advised against travel to Lebanon, citing a “highly volatile” situation.

“Owing to the ongoing conflict in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt), the situation in Lebanon remains highly volatile,” the statement read.

“In light of the unpredictability of the situation, events could escalate with very little warning. This could affect exit routes out of Lebanon.

“Citizens should be aware that, in the event that the political or security situation deteriorates, we are likely to be very limited in the assistance that we can provide.

“Citizens should not rely on evacuation options being possible if commercial options become unavailable.”

On Wednesday, the leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah group held talks with senior Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad figures.

The war between Israel and Hamas, now in its third week, has killed 1,400 people in Israel and more than 5,700 Palestinians in Gaza.

In that time, Hezbollah members have been exchanging fire with Israeli troops across the Lebanon-Israel border.

The DFA warned Irish people in the region to “exercise extreme caution” and to put contingency plans in place to leave Lebanon as soon as possible.

As there is no Irish Embassy in Beirut, Irish citizens in Lebanon who have not already done so are advised to register with the Embassy of Ireland in Cairo.

The DFA said that the security situation in Lebanon remains unstable and could deteriorate without warning, “due to the events in Israel and the oPt, as well as economic and political crises, there is an increased risk of protests and demonstrations, which can quickly lead to violence.”

The Lebanese Lira has lost 90% of its real value and restrictions have been placed on financial transactions and ATM withdrawals.

Lebanon is also experiencing electricity and fuel shortages, leading to power outages. Pharmacies and hospitals report shortages of medicines and medical equipment.