Saudi Arabia has warned its citizens against travelling to Lebanon after seven people were killed in Beirut amid clashes last week.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged people to avoid travelling to Lebanon from the kingdom, or any other country.

The ministry said the decision was made “in view of the current security events in Lebanon and based on a decision by the Ministry of Interior to prevent direct and indirect travel of citizens to a number of countries without obtaining prior permission from the concerned authorities, including Lebanon."

Saudi citizens should follow instructions from authorities to keep away from public gatherings, the ministry said.

“We call on all citizens in Lebanon to take extra precaution and stay away from crowded places,” it said.

Seven people were killed on Thursday in clashes in Beirut as crowds headed for a protest called by the Iran-backed Hezbollah group and its Shiite ally Amal.