Fears of Iran-Israel War Escalate, US To Send Jets And Warships; Travel Advisory Issued

In a latest development, Iran claimed on Saturday that Lebanon's Tehran-backed Hezbollah terror group is likely to strike deeper insider Israel and cannot be restricted to military target after Israel killed Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr.

The latest warning has come amid rising fears of big escalation in the area and non-stop cross-border fire between Isreal and Hezbollah that began attacking Israel the day after the October 7 Hamas-launched attack on Israel from Gaza, according to a report published in The Times of Israel.

The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reportedly issued a statement where it claimed that Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh was killed using a "short-range projectile" launched from outside of his accommodation in Tehran.

Israel claimed that Shukr was responsible for the rocket attack that claimed lives of 12 children and teens playing soccer in the Golan Heights, and had directed Hezbollah's attacks on Israel since the Gaza war began. Hours after Shukr's killing, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in a pre-dawn explosion in his accommodation in Tehran, Iran's Revolutionary Guards said, added the The Times of Israel report.

Meanwhile, US embassy in Lebanon issued travel advisory and urged its citizens to leave Lebanon on "any ticket available" on rising fears of an all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah and a wider regional conflict.

The US embassy in a statement said,"US citizens who lack funds to return to the United States may contact the embassy for financial assistance via repatriation loans. We recommend that U.S. citizens who choose not to depart Lebanon prepare contingency plans for emergency situations and be prepared to shelter in place for an extended period of time," according to agencies.

US military-assisted evacuations of civilians from a foreign country are rare.  US citizens should not rely on the US government for assisted departure or evacuation in a crisis.  In the case of an evacuation, you may not be able to leave with your extended family, cannot take pets, and will be expected to reimburse the US government for your transportation to a safe location," the statement further added.

On the other hand, UK government also urged its citizens in Lebanon to leave the country without any delay. In a statement, the foreign ministry said British nationals should depart the Middle Eastern country "now while commercial options remain available". "Tensions are high, and the situation could deteriorate rapidly," said Foreign Minister David Lammy.

According to a report published in BBC, The US will deploy additional warships and fighter jets to the Middle East to help defend Israel from likely attacks by Iran and its proxies, the Pentagon said. Tensions have been escalating in the region ever since the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and a key commander of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

Missile defence forces were placed on a state of increased readiness to deploy, the Pentagon said, adding that its commitment to defend Israel was "ironclad", added the BBC report.

The latest development is expected to unleash its impact on share market, crude oil, and gold prices globally.