Jakarta. A total of 41 Indonesian nationals were safely evacuated from Lebanon and arrived back in Indonesia in two separate groups on Monday.

The first group landed at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, at around 7:40 a.m., while the second group arrived at 3:35 p.m.

Judha Nugraha, Director of Citizen Protection at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, said the evacuation process was complex, involving a lengthy land route from Beirut to Damascus, then to Amman before they were flown to Jakarta.

"Thankfully, all of them were examined, and their health is good. They are now able to return to their respective hometowns," Nugraha said at Soekarno-Hatta Airport.

Nugraha added that since the Indonesian Embassy in Beirut declared a state of alert on Aug. 4, the government has evacuated a total of 65 Indonesian nationals from Lebanon.

"There are still 116 Indonesian citizens in Lebanon, most of whom have chosen to stay for personal reasons," he added.

He urged Indonesian citizens remaining in Lebanon to safeguard their well-being and follow the instructions of the Indonesian Embassy in Beirut, including participating in the evacuation process as soon as possible.

"We hope that our citizens will decide to evacuate before the situation worsens," Nugraha emphasized.

Furthermore, Nugraha advised Indonesians planning to travel to Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Israel, Palestine, or Yemen to postpone their trips due to ongoing tensions in the region.

"For those with flights to the Middle East, please stay informed and anticipate potential disruptions, especially as some Middle Eastern countries may close their airspace in the event of conflict between Iran and Israel," Nugraha concluded.

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