China says it evacuated 215 nationals from Lebanon

This week, Israel said its troops launched "ground raids" into parts of southern Lebanon, a stronghold of Iran-backed Hezbollah, following days of heavy strikes on areas across the country where the group holds sway.

Israel has recently shifted its focus to securing its northern border with Lebanon, where there have been near-daily clashes since Hezbollah launched strikes in support of its Palestinian ally Hamas, after that group's Oct. 7 attack.

Several countries have launched operations to remove their nationals from Lebanon in the wake of the ground raids, including Russia, France, Spain, Germany and the U.K.

"So far, 215 Chinese citizens have been safely evacuated from Lebanon in two batches under the organization and arrangement of the Chinese government," Beijing's foreign ministry said in a statement given to AFP.

"The Chinese Embassy in Lebanon continues to carry out its mission in Lebanon and will continue to assist the Chinese citizens there in taking security measures," it added.

The ministry did not say where the evacuated Chinese nationals had been taken.

According to Lebanese authorities, more than 1,110 people have been killed in the country since the escalation in Israeli bombardment on Sept. 23, while more than a million people have been forced to flee their homes.

On Wednesday, China urged world powers to prevent the conflict from "further deteriorating" after Iran fired a barrage of missiles at Israel, which warned it would make Tehran "pay" for the attack.