A number of Arab and Western embassies in Beirut have drawn up plans to evacuate their nationals in the event of a large-scale Israeli military operation against Lebanon.
The decision, taken as a precautionary measure, was prompted by fears that Israel would carry out its threats against Lebanon if diplomatic efforts to restore calm on the southern front and keep Hezbollah away from its northern border failed.
However, diplomatic sources report Esmail Qaani, head of the Al-Quds Force within the Revolutionary Guards, asked Hezbollah during his visit to Beirut not to give Israel any reason to launch a war against Lebanon. According to the same source, the leader of this group, Hassan Nasrallah, assured him that Hezbollah “does not want to drag Tehran into a war against Israel or the United States,” adding that “if there is a war, Hezbollah will fight alone.” Hassan Nasrallah repeated these same words in his last speech.