Saudi Arabia, Kuwait warn citizens to leave Lebanon immediately

Nov. 9 (UPI) -- The foreign ministries of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are warning their citizens in Lebanon to leave the country as soon as possible.

"Due to the situations in Lebanon, the official source at Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the Saudi nationals visiting or residing in Lebanon are asked to leave the country as soon as possible," the Ministry tweeted on Thursday.

Kuwait's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced a similar measure later in the day.

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait also advised their citizens against traveling to Lebanon. Bahrain issued a similar warning on Sunday, urging its citizens to "exercise caution" in leaving Lebanon.

The warnings come amid rising tensions in the Middle East. In a broadcast from Riyadh, Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned last week, blaming Hezbollah for Islamic State involvement in its governmental affairs.

On Tuesday, Saudi officials accused Beirut of declaring war due to Hezbollah "sowing strife" in the region.

Saudi Minister for Gulf Affairs Thamer al-Sabhan said Monday that Lebanon would "be dealt with as a government declaring war on Saudi Arabia," and that Hezbollah was involved in "every terrorist act" that threatened the Saudi kingdom.