Koreans in Israel, Lebanon urged to leave as Middle East tensions flare

Diplomacy

Koreans in Israel, Lebanon urged to leave as Middle East tensions flare

Published: 05 Aug. 2024, 14:11 Updated: 05 Aug. 2024, 18:17

LIM JEONG-WON
lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr

People search for casualties at a school damaged by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City on Sunday. At least 25 People were killed by Israeli airstrikes on the schools of al-Nasr and Hassan Salama in Gaza City, Palestinian security and medical sources said Sunday. [YONHAP]

The Foreign Ministry strongly advised Korean nationals in Lebanon and Israel to leave those countries as soon as possible following a joint situation review meeting chaired by Second Vice Minister Kang In-sun on Sunday.

The meeting reviewed safety and protection measures for overseas Koreans in the Middle East amid fears of an imminent escalation of conflict in the area.

Urging Korean nationals in Lebanon and Israel to depart as soon as possible on currently available flights, Kang also called for overseas missions and embassies to do their utmost to ensure the safety of Koreans in case of an eventuality and to closely monitor the situation in the Middle East so that the government can respond quickly.

The assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the top political leader of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, in the Iranian capital, Tehran, on Wednesday has heightened tensions in the Middle East, with both Iran and Hamas blaming Israel for the attack and vowing retaliation.

Arab countries have asked Iran to refrain from retaliatory attacks against Israel, but Tehran refused Monday, saying it doesn’t care if such attacks start a war in the Middle East, according to sources cited by the Wall Street Journal and the Times of Israel.

According to the Wall Street Journal’s sources, the Iranian side clarified this stance to diplomats from neighboring Arab countries on Saturday.

U.S. President Joe Biden on Sunday convened a security meeting amid speculation that Iranian retaliation against Israel is imminent, Reuters reported on Sunday.

There are about 530 Korean nationals in Israel, 130 in Lebanon and 110 in Iran.

All regions of Israel and Lebanon are on travel alert level three — advisory to leave — and Gaza is on level four, a travel ban. Iran is on level two, advising no travel except for some border areas.

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]