WASHINGTON, Oct 6, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - The US State Department said 145 passengers traveled Saturday on two flights that it had organized out of Lebanon, where Israel has pounded Hezbollah targets in recent days.

Each of the flights from Beirut to Istanbul, Turkey could carry 300 passengers, for a total capacity of 600, a State Department spokesperson noted.

"To date, we have assisted over 600 US citizens, US Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs), and their immediate family members in departing Lebanon via US organized flights," the spokesperson said.

The State Department has advised Americans since late September to depart Lebanon "while commercial options still remain available," and warned those who stay to "be prepared to shelter in place should the situation deteriorate further."

The spokesperson said Saturday that since September 24, the State Department "has made over 2,600 seats available" on commercial flights leaving Lebanon, with "hundreds" taking advantage of the option.

Hezbollah began low-intensity strikes on Israeli troops a day after its Palestinian ally Hamas staged an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, which triggered war in the Gaza Strip.

The clashes have rapidly escalated this month, with Israel carrying out extensive strikes at both the border and further inside Lebanon, killing hundreds -- including Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah -- and then launching what it described as "targeted ground raids" in south Lebanon.