Swedes are advised to leave Lebanon on their own, announces the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"The security situation in Lebanon has deteriorated with cancelled flights and a reduced number of tickets as a result. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs urges Swedes who are still in Lebanon to try to book a seat on available flights as soon as possible", writes the press service in an email to TT.
Since October 19 last year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has advised against all travel to Lebanon, the highest level of warning.
"Swedes who are still in Lebanon are urged to think through their own contingency planning and take measures to keep themselves as safe as possible in the event of further escalated conflict", writes the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Several countries evacuate
Spain is one of the countries that will evacuate its citizens from Lebanon due to the escalating violence.
Two planes will be sent to bring home 350 people who have asked to return to Spain. This could happen as early as Thursday, says Defense Minister Margarita Robles.
The Spanish government has never left any citizens behind, not in Afghanistan, not in Niger, not in Sudan, and we will not do so in Lebanon, she says in an interview with TV station Antena 3.
The Netherlands, Cyprus, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Canada, and Nigeria have also announced evacuations of their citizens from Lebanon. Greece is also considering this. The UK and Germany have already begun evacuations.
Several consider
France, with over 23,000 citizens in Lebanon, has not yet decided on an evacuation, but has sent military vessels and helicopters to the region in preparation, if Paris gives the green light for an operation.
South Korea announces that work is underway to bring home citizens in Israel and other parts of the Middle East.
At the same time, Germany, France, and Norway are urging their citizens to also leave Iran.
"The situation in the entire region continues to be unstable and very tense", writes the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs in an updated travel advisory.
Leaving Iran became more difficult on Wednesday, when the European Union's aviation safety agency Easa urged airlines to avoid flying over Iranian airspace.
