By Kanishka Singh and Daphne Psaledakis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States on Wednesday urged its citizens to not travel to Lebanon, citing rising tensions between Israel and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah group.

The U.S. State Department raised its travel advisory to Lebanon to level four, which says “Do Not Travel.” The State Department advised Americans in Lebanon to depart if possible.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT

The Middle East has been on the edge for months amid Israel’s war in Gaza that has killed tens of thousands and caused a humanitarian crisis.

The region faces a risk of a widened conflict. A weekend strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights that killed 12 was blamed on Iran-backed Hezbollah by the U.S. and Israel. The Lebanese group denied responsibility.

Hezbollah senior commander Fuad Shukr was killed thereafter in an Israeli strike on the outskirts of the Lebanese capital in a Hezbollah stronghold.

KEY QUOTES

“Do Not Travel to Lebanon due to rising tensions between Hezbollah and Israel,” the State Department travel advisory said.

“If you are in Lebanon, be prepared to shelter in place should the situation deteriorate. The U.S. Embassy strongly encourages U.S. citizens who are already in Southern Lebanon, near the borders with Syria, and/or in refugee settlements to depart.”

The travel advisory said the Golan Heights attack “increased the risk of further escalation” between Israel and Hezbollah.

CONTEXT

The State Department said it considered the threat to U.S. government personnel in Beirut serious enough to require them to live and work under strict security.

The department also said that U.S. citizens in Lebanon should be aware that consular officers from the U.S. Embassy are not always able to travel to assist them.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh and Daphne Psaledakis in Washington; Editing by Andrea Ricci)