France has asked its citizens in Iran and Lebanon to leave these countries because of the threat of a military escalation in the Middle East.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France has today recommended citizens living in Iran to temporarily leave it due to the risk of closing the country's airspace. Citizens traveling to Iran were also asked to leave the country on Friday.

Authorities also urged their citizens in Lebanon, especially those on a short trip there, to take advantage of the fact that there are still commercial flights to take off.

The airline company Air France announced yesterday that together with its subsidiary Transavia are further extending the suspension of flights between Paris and Beirut until August 6.

Tensions rose after the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on Wednesday, a day after an Israeli strike in Beirut also killed Fuad Shukr, the top military commander of the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.