Kuwait urged its citizens on Sunday to avoid traveling to Lebanon and those who are there to “leave as quickly as possible,” following a speech by Hezbollah chief Hasan Nasrallah that pointed to an imminent escalation between Lebanese factions.

The country’s foreign ministry said in a statement published by the KUNA news agency that Kuwait is closely monitoring developments in the security situation in Lebanon with “grave concern and expressed hope the fellow Arab country overcome this period soon.”

On Saturday Hezbollah leader officially announced the group’s engagement in Syria, fighting alongside Bashar al-Assad’s forces. Nasrallah vowed “victory” and challenged rival Lebanese factions to fight his group in Syria.

“I say to all the honorable people, to the mujahedeen, to the heroes: I have always promised you a victory and now I pledge to you a new one” in Syria, he said at a ceremony marking the 13th anniversary of Israel’s military withdrawal from Lebanon.

Nasrallah said Hezbollah would always stand by its allies in the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad, stressing that its own interests were at stake.

“We will continue along the road... bear the responsibilities and the sacrifices,” he said in a video link of a speech delivered live on a huge screen.

Last Update: Wednesday, 20 May 2020 KSA 09:40 - GMT 06:40