The State Department urged Americans in Lebanon to leave "as soon as possible," an escalated warning two days after it advised U.S. citizens not to travel to the Middle Eastern country.

Israel and Hezbollah, a terrorist organization based in Lebanon, have exchanged an increase in cross-border rocket fire in the week and a half since Hamas, a Gaza-based terrorist group, conducted the deadliest terrorist attack in Israel's history.

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"The U.S. Embassy is closely monitoring the security situation in Lebanon," the Thursday advisory read. "The Department of State urges U.S. citizens in Lebanon to make plans to depart as soon as possible while commercial options are still available. We recommend that U.S. citizens who choose not to depart prepare contingency plans for emergency situations."

On Tuesday, the department raised the travel advisory to Level 4, which means U.S. civilians should not travel there.

"Do Not travel to Lebanon due to the unpredictable security situation related to rocket, missile, and artillery exchanges between Israel and [Hezbollah] or other armed militant factions. Reconsider travel to Lebanon due to terrorism, civil unrest, armed conflict, crime, kidnapping, and Embassy Beirut's limited capacity to provide support to U.S. citizens," the advisory noted.

The State Department also authorized the voluntary and temporary departure of family members of U.S. government personnel and nonemergency personnel from the embassy in Beirut.

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It's unclear if Hezbollah will commit to a military clash with Israeli forces, and if it does, the Israel Defense Forces would be forced to fight a two-front war against Hezbollah in the north and Hamas in the south.

"Hezbollah is the most powerful terror organization — certainly in the region, maybe in the world — that has capabilities that are significantly more capable than what Hamas has, better organization, has a more developed leadership structure and actually has a quasi part of the government and a political element that's represented in the Lebanese government," retired Gen. Joseph Votel, former U.S. commander of Central Command, told the Washington Examiner.