Saudi Arabia tells citizens to leave Lebanon as crisis deepens

Beirut — Saudi Arabia on Friday urged its nationals to leave Lebanon immediately, citing escalating security risks as the United Nations warned of a looming humanitarian catastrophe linked to Israel’s ongoing military operations.

The Saudi embassy in Beirut said the advisory was issued due to the “repercussions of the current events,” noting that a travel ban to Lebanon had already been in place for several years.

The warning comes as Israeli forces deploy thousands of troops into southern Lebanon, aiming to secure territory up to the Litani River, about 30 kilometers from the border.

Since March 2, more than one million people have been displaced across Lebanon, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Around 136,000 are sheltering in approximately 660 collective sites, many of them overcrowded schools with limited sanitation access.

UNHCR representative Karolina Lindholm Billing said the situation on the ground was “extremely worrying,” warning of a real risk of humanitarian catastrophe if the conflict continues.

“Lebanon was already facing multiple crises, and this massive displacement is adding immense pressure,” she said, adding that affected civilians repeatedly expressed a desire to return home.

The UN refugee agency has appealed for more than $60 million to scale up its response, but officials say needs are rising faster than available funding as displacement accelerates.

The developments underscore mounting regional fallout from the conflict, with foreign governments increasingly issuing advisories to protect their citizens amid deteriorating security conditions.