Jakarta. The Foreign Affairs Ministry is urging Indonesian citizens in Lebanon to promptly follow evacuation plans issued by the Indonesian Embassy in Beirut, warning that the worsening security situation could severely limit the government’s ability to ensure their safety.

“We urge all Indonesians to follow the contingency plans provided by the Indonesian Embassy in Beirut. If an evacuation request is made, please comply immediately and do not wait until the situation becomes more critical,” said Judha Nugraha, the ministry’s director for citizen protection, on Friday.

Judha explained that if the situation in Lebanon deteriorates further, the embassy’s ability to safely evacuate Indonesians will be severely restricted, particularly if vital infrastructure and transport routes are targeted.

While the Indonesian government is committed to protecting its citizens abroad, the final decision to evacuate remains with each individual.

“We’re being honest here — we must carry out the evacuation while we still have the chance before the situation escalates further,” he added.

Judha also urged all Indonesian citizens to delay travel to Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Palestine, and Israel due to the region’s unstable security conditions.

The ministry has found that some Indonesians continue to travel to Israel for both tourism and religious pilgrimage, despite Israel, Lebanon, and Palestine being under Security Alert Level 1, the highest warning issued by the ministry.

“The situation in the region could lead to flight suspensions. Please be aware of the risk of being stranded at international transit hubs,” Judha said.

He confirmed that there are currently 116 Indonesians residing in Lebanon, with 83 of them based in Beirut.

Indonesians in Lebanon are encouraged to proactively report their whereabouts to the embassy in Beirut to facilitate monitoring and communication in an emergency.

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