In a statement released over the weekend Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged Armenian citizens already in Lebanon to exercise “maximum caution” and follow official reports.
“Expressing hope that peace and stability will be preserved in friendly Lebanon, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia calls on Armenian citizens to temporarily refrain from visiting Lebanon unless there is an urgent need,” the statement said. “At the same time, the Ministry urges Armenian citizens currently residing in Lebanon to exercise maximum caution, avoid visiting regions targeted in recent days, and follow the official reports and warnings of the Lebanese authorities.”
The statement, disseminated on Facebook, added that citizens could contact the Armenian embassy in Lebanon if any issues arose due to the current situation.
With a population of over 5.2 million, Lebanon is home to more than 150,000 ethnic Armenians, some of whom also hold Armenian citizenship.
Many nations, including the United States, Britain, and France, have advised their nationals living in Lebanon to leave the country immediately due to fears of an all-out war between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah, as well as a broader regional conflict.
Tensions in the Middle East have soared following nearly 10 months of war in Gaza. The recent killings of a senior Hezbollah commander in Lebanon and the top political leader of Hamas—designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and EU—in Iran have exacerbated the situation.
Earlier, Israel accused the Lebanon-based Hezbollah militant group, backed by Iran, of being behind a rocket attack on Israeli-controlled territory that resulted in the deaths of a dozen children.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country was prepared for “any aggression” against it following threats of retaliation for the killings of the top Hezbollah and Hamas figures.
Talking to RFE/RL’s Armenian Service on Monday, one Armenian in Beirut described the situation in Lebanon as a “state of tense anticipation.”
Shahan Kandaharian, editor-in-chief of the Lebanon-based Armenian daily newspaper Aztag, noted that public sentiments there were primarily influenced by two factors: international airlines suspending flights to and from Lebanon and foreign embassies issuing statements urging their citizens either not to visit Lebanon or to leave the country immediately.
“Naturally, all this affects people’s frame of mind and the overall public atmosphere in the country,” he said.
(With reporting by Ruzanna Stepanian)
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