France Urges Citizens to Leave Iran, Lebanon Due to Military Risks

 Smoke rises from Kfar Kila, amid cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, as pictured from Marjeyoun, near the border with Israel, Lebanon August 3, 2024. (Reuters)
Smoke rises from Kfar Kila, amid cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, as pictured from Marjeyoun, near the border with Israel, Lebanon August 3, 2024. (Reuters)
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France Urges Citizens to Leave Iran, Lebanon Due to Military Risks

 Smoke rises from Kfar Kila, amid cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, as pictured from Marjeyoun, near the border with Israel, Lebanon August 3, 2024. (Reuters)
Smoke rises from Kfar Kila, amid cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, as pictured from Marjeyoun, near the border with Israel, Lebanon August 3, 2024. (Reuters)

France urged its citizens in Iran and Lebanon to leave the countries due to a risk of military escalation in the Middle East, the foreign ministry said on Sunday in two separate travel advisories.

The French foreign ministry recommended citizens residing in Iran to temporarily leave the country given the risk of its airspace being closed. The ministry had urged citizens traveling in Iran to leave on Friday.

The ministry called on its citizens in Lebanon, especially those on trips there, to take advantage of the fact that there are still commercial flights available to leave.

Air France said on Saturday it and its affiliate Transavia were further extending their suspensions of flights between Paris and Beirut until at least Aug. 6.

Tensions have soared following the assassination of Palestinian group Hamas' leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on Wednesday, a day after an Israeli strike in Beirut killed Fuad Shukr, a top military commander from Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.

French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken shared their concern over rising frictions in the Middle East in a phone call on Saturday. 



Gaza Rescuers Say Israeli Strikes Kill 24 Palestinians

A boy walks past a destroyed building in the aftermath of an Israeli strike at Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, on January 15, 2025, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the militant group Hamas. (Photo by Eyad BABA / AFP)
A boy walks past a destroyed building in the aftermath of an Israeli strike at Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, on January 15, 2025, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the militant group Hamas. (Photo by Eyad BABA / AFP)
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Gaza Rescuers Say Israeli Strikes Kill 24 Palestinians

A boy walks past a destroyed building in the aftermath of an Israeli strike at Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, on January 15, 2025, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the militant group Hamas. (Photo by Eyad BABA / AFP)
A boy walks past a destroyed building in the aftermath of an Israeli strike at Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, on January 15, 2025, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the militant group Hamas. (Photo by Eyad BABA / AFP)

Gaza's civil defense agency said on Wednesday that Israeli strikes killed at least 24 people across the Palestinian territory, with Israel's military saying it had targeted Hamas militants overnight.

The latest violence, following more than 15 months of war between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas, comes as truce mediator Qatar said negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release deal were in their "final stages”

The civil defense agency said in a statement that 11 bodies were brought to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the central Gaza Strip, after Israel struck a family home in Deir el-Balah city during the night.

A seven-year-old boy and three teenagers were among the dead, the agency said.

A separate strike targeted a school building used as shelter for war-displaced Palestinians in Gaza City, killing seven people and injuring several others, the civil defense agency said.

A third strike at dawn hit a house in the Al-Nuseirat refugee camp, killing six people and injuring seven, the agency added.

The Israeli military confirmed that its forces had carried out multiple strikes overnight in Gaza, saying in a statement that they were "precise" and targeted "terrorist operatives.”

Over the past 24 hours, the military said it had struck more than 50 targets across the Gaza Strip.

Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip has killed at least 46,707 Palestinians and wounded 110,265 since Oct. 7, 2023, the Palestinian enclave's health ministry said on Wednesday.