Filipinos close to Lebanese border urged to 'evacuate preemptively'

THE Philippine Embassy in Beirut has urged Filipinos close to the border of southern Lebanon to «evacuate preemptively» to ensure their well-being and security.

The embassy issued the advisory on Tuesday «due to the persistent tension in Lebanon's southern border, posing a significant threat to the safety and security of civilian residents.»

A picture taken from the southern Israeli city of Sderot shows smoke billowing over the northern Gaza Strip during Israeli bombardment on October 18, 2023, amid ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. Thousands of people, both Israeli and Palestinians have died since October 7, 2023, when Palestinian Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip entered southern Israel in a surprise attack leading Israel to declare war on Hamas in Gaza on October 8. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP)

The Associated Press reported that clashes erupted along the Lebanon-Israel border that left five Hezbollah fighters dead, marking the largest number of casualties for the militant group in a single day as tensions with Israel escalate.

«Given the unstable situation, Filipinos are reminded to avoid non-essential travel to South Lebanon,» the embassy said in a statement.

There are currently 17,537 Filipinos in Lebanon.

Another wire agency reported that Israeli shelling hit southern Lebanese towns on Wednesday in response to a fresh rocket attack by powerful armed group Hezbollah, as cross-border violence extended into a fourth day.

It added that Hezbollah had fired precision missiles at an Israeli position in response to the killing of its members in Israeli shelling earlier this week, pledging «decisive» responses to attacks on Lebanese territory, especially deadly ones.