Saudi advises nationals to leave Lebanon

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia has advised its citizens in Lebanon, especially families living there, to leave the country immediately due to the security situation, several Saudi nationals said on Saturday.

The United States had said on Thursday it deployed the USS Cole off the Lebanese coast because it was concerned about the political deadlock in Lebanon, provoking criticism from Hezbollah and Syria.

There was no immediate comment from the Saudi embassy in Lebanon.

(Reporting by Nadim Ladki; Writing by Yara Bayoumy; Editing by Keith Weir)