Countries including France, India, Russia and the United Kingdom have warned their citizens against traveling to Israel, the Palestinian territories and, in some cases, the wider region in response to a strike against the consulate in Damascus this month an Iranian attack is threatened.
Iran has threatened retaliation against Israel over the attack in the Syrian capital on April 1 that killed seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including two generals, raising fears of an escalation of violence in the Middle East.
The French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs on Friday advised its citizens against traveling to Iran, Lebanon, Israel and the Palestinian territories.
In a statement on the social media platform
The UK urged its citizens to avoid all but necessary travel to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories due to the “possibility of an attack from Iran into Israeli territory.”
In an update, Britain’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office warned against “all travel” to northern Israel, the Gaza Strip, areas near Gaza and the occupied West Bank – with the exception of occupied East Jerusalem and Route 1 between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
Russia urged its citizens to “refrain from traveling to the region” and highlighted security risks in Israel, Lebanon and the occupied Palestinian territories.
“The situation in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict zone and in the area of the ‘Blue Line’ between Lebanon and Israel remains unstable,” the Foreign Ministry said.
India’s statement referred to Iran and Israel and asked Indians not to travel to the two countries until further notice in view of the “prevailing situation in the region.”
The Foreign Ministry in New Delhi said Indian citizens staying in the two countries should “observe the utmost precautionary measures for their safety and limit their movements to a minimum.”
Separately, German flagship airline Lufthansa extended its flight suspension to and from Tehran until Thursday and will not use Iranian airspace during this period.
Real and viable threat, says US
The United States has banned its employees in Israel and their family members from personal travel outside of the Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Beersheba metropolitan areas.
An attack by Iran on Israel is a “real” and “realistic” threat, U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Friday, adding that Washington will make sure the Israelis “have what they have need and that they can defend themselves”. itself”.
The US’s top commander for the Middle East, General Erik Kurilla, is also in Israel to discuss security threats with his military representatives. His trip was brought forward from a previously planned date “due to recent developments,” Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Thursday.
After Kurilla spoke Friday with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant about tensions with Iran, Gallant said the U.S. and Israel stand “shoulder to shoulder” in dealing with potential threats.
“We are ready to defend ourselves in close cooperation with our partners on the ground and in the air, and we will know how to respond,” the defense chief added.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing a person familiar with the matter, that Israel was preparing for an attack by Iran as early as Friday or Saturday.
Al Jazeera’s Hamdah Salhut, reporting from East Jerusalem, said the Israeli army said it was preparing offensively and defensively on all fronts.
“A few weeks ago, the Israelis raised their alert, called up reservists and strengthened air defense systems,” she said, adding that Israeli officials said they were prepared for anything.
Since October 7, Israel has been bombing the Gaza Strip and deploying ground troops, killing at least 33,600 Palestinians and wounding more than 76,000. Hamas’ attacks on southern Israel on October 7 killed more than 1,100 people.
Israel has also stepped up attacks against Iranian personnel and allies in Syria and Lebanon and has engaged in almost daily cross-border firefights with the Lebanese group Hezbollah since the start of the war.