‘Time to leave’ Lebanon as violence escalates, Joly urges Canadians

The federal government is urging Canadians in Lebanon to get out of the country while they still can, warning the security situation is becoming “increasingly volatile and unpredictable” as violence escalates between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said Tuesday the situation could further deteriorate without warning, leaving Canadians unable to leave the Middle East country or access consular services.

“My message to Canadians has been clear since the beginning of the crisis in the Middle East: it is not the time to travel to Lebanon,” Joly said in a statement. “And for Canadians currently in Lebanon, it is time to leave, while commercial flights remain available.”

Joly said Canada is not currently offering assisted departures or evacuations from Lebanon, “and these are not guaranteed.”

Canadians in Lebanon should register with Global Affairs Canada and ensure their travel documents are up to date, she added.

Tuesday’s warning comes as the prospect of a full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah has grown more acute.

The Iranian-backed Hezbollah began striking Israel almost immediately after Hamas’s Oct. 7 cross-border attack that triggered Israel’s military offensive in Gaza. Israel and Hezbollah have been exchanging fire nearly every day since then, but the fighting has escalated in recent weeks.

Hezbollah has more advanced military capabilities than Hamas, and opening a new front would raise the risk of a larger, region-wide war involving other Iranian proxies and perhaps Iran itself that could cause heavy damage and mass casualties on both sides of the border.

Hezbollah has said it will continue battling Israel until a ceasefire is reached in Gaza. The group’s leader,