Sweden temporarily closes Lebanon embassy as fears of escalation loom

Sweden said Saturday it was shutting its embassy in Beirut amid fears the war in Gaza could escalate into a region-wide conflict, after urging thousands of its citizens to leave Lebanon.

The killing of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders this week, blamed on Israel, have heightened regional tensions amid the Gaza war.

“The foreign ministry has instructed its staff to leave Beirut and travel to Cyprus, and the foreign ministry is planning a temporary relocation of its embassy,” Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom told Swedish Radio.