Norway withdraws embassy workers from Lebanon amid Israeli attacks

Norway is withdrawing some of its embassy staff from the Lebanese capital Beirut due to the deteriorating security situation amid the conflict between the Shiite Hezbollah militia and Israel.

Numerous Israeli attacks on Lebanon in recent days also hit Beirut and the UN peacekeeping forces (UNIFIL), the Foreign Ministry in Oslo noted in a statement on Saturday.

The ambassador and a small number of other Norwegian diplomats will remain in the country for the time being.

"The security situation in Lebanon remains very tense and unclear," said the statement. "There have been bombings near the Norwegian embassy in Beirut. Some of the Norwegian diplomats posted there are therefore temporarily leaving Lebanon."

Norwegian citizens were also called upon to leave the country while this was still possible.

Israel came under heavy criticism from the United States and European countries after four UN peacekeepers were injured in Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon since Thursday.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that its troops had opened fire in response to "an immediate threat against them," citing encroachment by Hezbollah militants near UNFIL positions.

Hezbollah has been launching missiles at Israel from Lebanon since the start of the Gaza war a year ago. According to the militia, it is acting in solidarity with the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Israel significantly stepped up its military operations against Hezbollah in September, when pagers and walkie-talkies used by the group's members exploded across Lebanon and Syria. Israeli troops launched a ground offensive in early October and escalated airstrikes, including on Beirut.