Israel-Hezbollah Escalation Rises, England Returns Embassy Staff Family

Flag hoisting at the British Embassy in Israel. (Wikimedia Commons/UK in Israel)

JAKARTA - The British government has decided to withdraw the family of its embassy staff working in Israel, as the escalation of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah increases, as well as the risk of a wider regional conflict.

This decision was taken after Israel sent troops to southern Lebanon, the assassination of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and the Iranian missile attack on Israel.

"As a precaution following the escalation in the region, members of the British Embassy staff's family have been withdrawn for a while," read a web page of travel advice from the UK Foreign Ministry for Israel.

"Our staff members remain behind," the announcement continued.

The rockets of the militant group Hezbollah hit Israel's third-largest city, Haifa, on Monday morning, when the country appeared ready to expand its ground attacks on Lebanon.

Britain advises its citizens not to travel to areas close to the border with Gaza and "all trips except an important journey" to other parts of Israel and the occupied Palestinian Territory due to a year-long conflict between Israel and Hamas.

However, British citizens living in Israel were not asked to leave. However, they were told consular assistance was "very limited".

"We recognize that this is a situation that moves quickly and poses significant risks," the appeal reads.

"We strongly advise you to ensure that you and your dependents have the documentation needed to travel in a short time," he concluded.