China cautions citizens over travel to Lebanon

ANKARA

China has urged its citizens to travel with caution to Lebanon amid tension in region following the assassination of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in Iran's capital Tehran and a Hezbollah commander in Beirut.

China's Embassy in Lebanon said that the security situation in the region is severe and complex and Chinese citizens should be cautious when traveling to Lebanon.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Embassy in Lebanon remind Chinese citizens to pay close attention to the development of the local situation and be cautious when traveling to Lebanon in the near future," the embassy said in a statement issued in Chinese language late Monday.

Tension has escalated between Hezbollah and Israel since Tel Aviv assassinated senior military commander Fouad Shukr in an airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburb on July 30.

Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh was also assassinated in the Iranian capital, Tehran, the following day, in an attack blamed on Israel although Tel Aviv has not confirmed or denied its responsibility.

Hamas and Iran have vowed to retaliate for Haniyeh's assassination, while Hezbollah has pledged to respond to Shukr's killing.

Fears have grown over a full-blown war between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah group amid a months-long exchange of cross-border fire.

The escalation comes against the backdrop of an Israeli onslaught on Gaza which has killed nearly 40,000 people since last October following an attack by Hamas.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid