More British evacuation flights expected to leave Beirut as conflict intensifies
More UK citizens have been arriving back in the country from Lebanon on government-chartered flights, as Pablo Taylor reports.
More British nationals are expected to be evacuated from Lebanon on Thursday following an airstrike in Beirut - the second Israeli attack on the capital this week.
An Israeli airstrike on an apartment building in Beirut overnight is the latest in a series of attacks, which Lebanon’s Health Ministry said killed at least six people.
The airstrike hit not far from the United Nations headquarters, the prime minister’s office and parliament and no warning was issued ahead of the blast, with the number of casualties unclear.
On Wednesday, a plane chartered by the government carrying 150 British nationals landed in Birmingham from Lebanon.
However, there are now growing concerns about how long the airports can remain open.
Lebanon’s Middle East Airlines is also continuing to operate its scheduled services from Beirut while Britons have been advised to get the first flight available out of the country.
A “limited number” of further flights from Beirut will take place from Thursday, continuing as long as the security situation allows, the Foreign Office said. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: “Recent events have demonstrated the volatility of the situation in Lebanon.“The safety of British nationals in Lebanon continues to be our number one priority. That’s why we are announcing additional chartered flights to help those who want to leave.“I urge all British nationals still in Lebanon to register with the FCDO (Foreign Office) and leave the country immediately.”
The Defence Secretary John Healey met with RAF personnel and said in a post on X: “I’ve got great confidence in our ability to do the job required.
“But for now, our government advice to all Brits in Lebanon is get out now.”
The Foreign Office has said that any further flights in the coming days will depend on demand and the security situation on the ground.
Vulnerable British nationals and their spouse or partner, and children under the age of 18, will be prioritised.
There are concerns in Whitehall that further military activity by Israel could result in the closure of the airport, cutting off the most straightforward exit route for British nationals in Lebanon.
If that happens the only option could be a military-led evacuation co-ordinated from the British bases in Cyprus.
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Around 700 troops and Foreign Office and Home Office staff, including Border Force officers, have been deployed to Cyprus in case an emergency evacuation is needed.
The UK and allies are continuing to urge Israel and its adversaries to pull back from the brink of all-out war in the Middle East.
The urgent calls for flights out Beirut comes as fighting escalated in the region with Iran launching at least 180 missiles into Israel earlier this week.
Two Typhoon fighter jets, supported by a tanker aircraft, were involved in an operation to defend citizens although the Ministry of Defence said because of the nature of the attack “they did not engage any targets”.
The Israeli military has warned people to evacuate about 50 villages and towns across southern Lebanon as its activities continue.
Israel has also promised to retaliate for the Iranian missile attack, something which could trigger a wider war in the region.
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