Russia, France, Spain and Greece on Thursday became the latest countries to launch operations to remove nationals from Lebanon since Israel launched ground raids into its neighbour and Iran fired missiles at Israel.

Here is what we know about the effort to transport thousands of foreign nationals out of Lebanon:

- Russia -

Moscow has evacuated 60 dependents of Russian diplomats posted in Lebanon due to Israel's heavy bombardment on its neighbour, the Kremlin said on Thursday.

Outside one of the Lebanese capital's most exclusive venues, a large sign advises clubbers to dress "smart casual". Now dozens of destitute families occupy its dancefloor after fleeing Israeli bombardment.

Fresh laundry hangs on the guardrails around the building housing the underground nightclub Skinn, which is also known for its rooftop Skybar offering spectacular views over the Mediterranean.

The Israeli military said a strike on Gaza on Thursday killed a Palestinian who had waved his blood-stained hands at a crowd after a deadly attack on Israeli soldiers in the occupied West Bank more than two decades ago.

The civil defence agency in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip confirmed Abdelaziz Salha's death, saying he was killed when an Israeli strike hit a tent in a displacement camp in central Gaza's Deir al-Balah early on Thursday.

A source close to Hezbollah said Israel had conducted 11 consecutive strikes on the group's south Beirut stronghold late Thursday, in one of the most violent raids since Israel intensified its bombardment campaign last week.

AFP correspondents in the capital and beyond heard loud bangs that made car alarms go off and building shake.

About an hour later, AFP journalists heard several explosions coming from the direction of the southern suburbs after the Israeli military ordered residents of the Hadath neighbourhood to evacuate.

Dubai-based Emirates Thursday cancelled flights to Iraq, Iran and Jordan for three days over "regional unrest", after an Iranian missile strike on Israel stoked fears of a wider war.

"Emirates is cancelling all flights to/from Iraq (Basra and Baghdad), Iran (Tehran), and Jordan (Amman) on 4th and 5th October due to regional unrest" with immediate effect, said the airline.

The Middle East's biggest airline had previously announced cancellations between Dubai and Beirut until October 8, as several other carriers also put some services on hold.

After the killing of Hezbollah's leader in Lebanon, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu boasted Israel had "settled the score". But the legacy of Israel's past targeted killings calls into question how much will actually change.

Far from bringing respite to Israelis, Hassan Nasrallah's death led to an Iranian missile attack on Israel, as Tehran sought to avenge its protege in Lebanon and an Iranian general killed alongside him.

Israel has vowed to retaliate, with analysts saying it is only a matter of time.

A year into the Gaza war, grassroots support for Palestinians has surged across the Arab world, but the groundswell has yet to trigger stronger action against Israel, with governments largely ignoring these calls.

As the conflict spills into Lebanon and Iran's missile strike on Israel raises fears of further escalation, Arab governments are walking a careful line.

While they routinely condemn Israel's invasion -- triggered by Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attack -- nations with diplomatic ties to Israel have yet to make major policy changes.

Israel's military said Thursday it had hit Hezbollah's intelligence headquarters in the Lebanese capital Beirut, as troops battled militants near the border and warplanes bombarded their strongholds around the country.

Israel announced this week that its troops had started "ground raids" into parts of southern Lebanon, a stronghold of Hezbollah, after days of heavy bombardment of areas across the country where the group holds sway.

Tunisians head to the polls Sunday for a presidential election in which analysts say incumbent Kais Saied is poised for victory with his most prominent critics behind bars.

The near-certainty of Saied's win has created a mood of resignation in opposition ranks and made for a deeply lacklustre campaign.

There have been no campaign rallies or public debates and nearly all the campaign posters in city streets have been the incumbent's.

In the small fishing village of Beddouza in western Morocco, locals have turned to the Atlantic to quench their thirst, using mobile desalination stations to combat the kingdom's persistent drought.

Since 2023, Morocco has built some 44 of these desalination stations, also called "monobloc" -- compact, transportable units that have come as a boon against the increasingly tangible effects of climate change.

The potable water is distributed with tanker trucks to remote areas in the country, currently grappling with its worst drought in nearly 40 years.