BERLIN: Germany urged its citizens on Wednesday to leave Lebanon quickly, warning that an expansion of the Gaza crisis could not be ruled out after a drone strike in Beirut killed a senior Hamas leader.

`All German citizens, who are still in Lebanon, are asked to register on the crisis preparedness list and to leave the country as quickly as possible,` wrote the German foreign ministry on X.

The warning came after a meeting ofthe German government`s crisis unit.

`A further deterioration of the situation and expansion of the conflict cannot be ruled out, especially given the killing of Saleh Al Aruri`, the ministry wrote.

`This applies above all to the southern part of Lebanon, up to and including the southern urban areas of Beirut.` Germany had already issued a warning against travel to Lebanon in October.-AFP