PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA: The Malaysian Embassy in Beirut has advised Malaysians to postpone all travel plans to Lebanon following the civil unrest there.

Malaysians already in Lebanon were also urged to avoid unnecessary travel, the Embassy said in a statement.

"Malaysians could be caught up in any violence directed at others due to the highly volatile security situation, which could deteriorate without warning and lead to widespread violence," the statement said.

The civil unrest began on May 7 when political conflicts turned violent after the government accused Hezbollah of violating the country's sovereignty by operating its own telecommunications network and installing spy cameras at the airport.

Supporters of Lebanon's US-backed government fought with gunmen loyal to the Hezbollah-led opposition, escalating into the country's worst internal crisis since the 1975-90 civil war.

The Malaysian Embassy is temporarily closed. Malaysians requiring emergency consular assistance can contact the 24-hour consular emergency centre at 961-3-370902.