Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon have killed at least five people and injured several others, while more than 40,000 American citizens have left the Middle East since tensions escalated following the conflict with Iran, officials said.

Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health said successive Israeli strikes targeted the town of Qana in the Tyre district of southern Lebanon, leaving five people dead.

At least five other people were also injured in the attacks near the border, according to the ministry.

Lebanese officials said Israel’s renewed attacks on Lebanon since last Monday have killed at least 570 people.

Meanwhile, the United States said tens of thousands of its citizens have left the Middle East since hostilities between the US and Iran began on February 28.

A spokesperson for the US State Department said more than 43,000 American citizens have returned to the United States from the region during this period.

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said about 30,000 of them were assisted through a special task force created to support evacuation efforts.

The United States has completed more than two dozen charter flights to help Americans leave the region.

However, the State Department said the charter flights operated at less than 40 percent capacity on average, as many Americans opted to use commercial flights instead.

Charter flights and ground transportation operations from the Middle East are continuing, and any American citizen in the region can request assistance, the department added.

#From Agencies