MOSCOW, September 25. /TASS/. Russians are advised to leave Lebanon for security reasons, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"Certainly, this information comes from our embassy, consular offices, where our fellow citizens are registered, are willing, so to speak, to be registered. We operate with the same figures as our Foreign Ministry," he said, when asked about 3,000 Russians in Lebanon. "All measures are now being taken to recommend our citizens to leave the territory of Lebanon as soon as possible, using the available opportunities of commercial transportation. This is necessary to ensure the safety of these citizens."

On September 17 and 18, numerous explosions of communication devices and other electronic gadgets swept across Lebanon, setting off a new wave of escalation between Israel and Hezbollah. The Lebanese group blamed Israel for the incidents. Israel did not comment directly on the device detonations, but announced it was intensifying military operations in the north. Afterward, the Israeli Air Force began to carry out massive strikes on southern Lebanon, just across the northern border, and also attacked Beirut. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced expanded strikes against military sites, rocket depots and Hezbollah commanders across Lebanon. The death toll from the strikes exceeded 550 in Lebanon, while more than 1,800 other people sustained injuries.