Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the people of Lebanon that his country is not at war with them, but with Hezbollah.
“I have a message for the people of Lebanon: Israel’s war is not with you,” Netanyahu said during a televised speech on Monday. “It’s with Hezbollah.”
The Israeli prime minister called on the Lebanese people to “get out of harm’s way” while it targets Hezbollah positions.
“For too long, Hezbollah has been using you as human shields. It placed rockets in your living rooms and missiles in your garage. Those rockets and missiles are aimed directly at our cities, directly at our citizens,” Netanyahu said.
He said Israel has to take out those weapons “to defend our people against Hezbollah strikes.”
“I urge you – take this warning seriously,” the Israeli prime minister said, “Please, get out of harm’s way now. Once our operation is finished, you can come back safely to your homes.”
Meanwhile China has urged its citizens living in Israel and Lebanon to evacuate immediately, citing a “serious, complex, and volatile” security situation. The Chinese embassy in Tel Aviv sent out an alert on Sunday as the intensifying cross-border conflict between Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah deepened fears of an all-out war.
“The situation along the Israeli-Lebanese border is extremely tense, characterised by frequent military confrontations,” the embassy said, advising Chinese nationals in Israel to return as soon as possible or to relocate to safer areas.
“The security situation in Israel is serious, complex, and volatile,” it warned.
Those choosing to remain were urged to follow local security guidelines and avoid non-essential travel.
They were also advised to prepare against “missiles, rockets, drones, and other types of attacks” and stay away from northern Israel, which borders Lebanon.
The Chinese mission in the Lebanese capital of Beirut also issued a similar warning on Monday, urging Chinese nationals to leave as soon as possible and avoid the southern regions near Israel.