Police in Lebanon are looking into a pedestrian strike.
Following a person’s Wednesday automobile collision in Lebanon, an inquiry is currently underway.
Following allegations that a pedestrian may have been struck in the vicinity, the Lebanon Police Department verified around 6:30 p.m. that police had been sent to Lebanon Street between Washington Street and Williams Street.
For a short while, Lebanon Street was blocked off as investigators collected evidence. Just before seven o’clock in the evening, the LPD verified that Lebanon Street’s north and southbound lanes were now open.
The victim’s current state of health is unknown. No more details were given right away.
Israel-Hezbollah tensions prompt Australia to advise its people to evacuate Lebanon
Australia has issued an urgent request for its people residing in Lebanon to depart, citing a genuine threat of a major escalation in hostilities between Israel and the extremist organization Hezbollah.
The plea comes after this week’s comparable warnings from allies the United States and Britain.
In a video that was uploaded late on Wednesday to social media site X, Foreign Minister Penny Wong stated, “This is the time to leave, the security situation could deteriorate quickly with little or no notice.”
If the situation gets worse, Wong warned, Beirut airport may close entirely, leaving individuals who wanted to leave for “an extended period” stranded. She also recommended Australians to utilize commercial flights while they are still in operation.
With tens of thousands dead and a humanitarian crisis resulting from Israel’s war in Gaza, the Middle East has been on edge for months.
According to the Australian Foreign Affairs website, there are approximately 15,000 Australians living in Lebanon, and that number increases by thousands during the summer months of June through September. In the 2021 census, about 500,000 Australians claimed Lebanese ancestry.
“Be ready to shelter in place,” the US advises Americans residing in Lebanon.
Amid growing tensions in the Middle East due to a slew of strikes and retaliation among Hezbollah, Israel, and Iran, the Biden administration advised Americans in Lebanon on Wednesday to “shelter in place.”
The State Department has revised its travel recommendation to Level 4: Do Not Travel, covering the entirety of Lebanon. It tells Americans who are already there to be ready to take cover if the security situation worsens.
American nationals who were already in southern Lebanon, close to the Syrian border, or in refugee settlements were urged to leave by the American Embassy in Beirut.
The travel advise is issued in the wake of ten months of fighting between Hamas and Israel, which began on October 7 and resulted in fighting in the Gaza Strip, which has escalated tensions in the Middle East to the point of a wider regional conflict.
In response for a Hezbollah strike that killed 12 children in northern Israel, Israel claimed responsibility for the death of a senior Hezbollah leader in Beirut on Wednesday. However, tensions have increased after a suspected Israeli strike on a senior Hamas figure in Iran on Wednesday, with Iran threatening retaliation.
The U.S. Embassy in Beirut issued a more dire warning to Americans, while the embassy in Jerusalem upgraded its security alerts advising personnel and citizens to reevaluate travel and proceed with caution.
Because of the escalating hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, avoid traveling to Lebanon. In a statement, the embassy advised anyone in Lebanon to be ready to take cover inside if things get worse.
It further stated that while commercial flights are still available, Americans should be ready for last-minute cancellations, as many airlines have suspended or canceled flights from Beirut.
The embassy issued a warning not to rely on evacuations aided by the US military.
It is uncommon for civilian evacuations from a foreign nation to be aided by the US military. In a catastrophe, there is no assurance that private American individuals and their families will be evacuated by the government, the embassy stated in a statement.
In the unlikely event that an evacuation with assistance from the US military takes place, our priority will be to aid US citizens. To make it easier for you to leave Lebanon and enter a secure third country, please make sure you have proper travel documentation.
