UK charters flight from Lebanon as governments prepare evacuation plans

The UK has chartered a flight out of Lebanon for Britons to leave the country amid the escalating violence in the region, as governments around the world begin making contingency plans to evacuate their citizens. amid the escalating violence in the region.

The UK arranged a flight that was due to leave Beirut-Rafic Hariri international airport on Wednesday. David Lammy, the foreign secretary, described the situation in Lebanon as “volatile” and with the “potential to deteriorate quickly”.

British nationals and their spouses, partners and children under 18 are eligible for the flight, and those who are vulnerable will be prioritised. There are 5,000 British single and dual nationals in Lebanon, including members of their immediate families, and the government said it was working on “all contingency options”.

Israel has begun a “limited, localised and targeted” ground operation against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and sealed off communities along its northern boundary, it confirmed early Tuesday. At least 95 people were killed by Israeli strikes on Monday, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.

Lammy said: “The situation in Lebanon is volatile and has potential to deteriorate quickly. The safety of British nationals in Lebanon continues to be our utmost priority. That’s why the UK government is chartering a flight to help those wanting to leave. It is vital that you leave now as further evacuation may not be guaranteed.”

He chaired a ministerial meeting of the Cobra emergency committee on Monday to discuss the conflict.

British military assets have been deployed to Cyprus and the eastern Mediterranean in case an evacuation is required, although ministers and officials have stressed that Britons should leave immediately.

Britain joins several other countries in making arrangements or contingency plans to evacuate citizens. Cyprus, the closest EU member to the Middle East, is likely to be the main hub for evacuations, having processed around 60,000 people fleeing the Hezbollah-Israel war in 2006. Neighbouring Turkey has offered facilities as well.

The US has already ordered the deployment of dozens of troops to Cyprus to help prepare for scenarios, including an evacuation of Americans from Lebanon.

Most contingency planning seems to be by sea – Lebanon is bordered by Israel and Syria, making land evacuations close to impossible – enabling movement of larger groups, but that will be defined by the security situation, a source familiar with the process told Reuters. It takes about 10 hours to Cyprus by sea, or 40 minutes by plane from Beirut.

Germany has evacuated non-essential staff, families of embassy workers and German nationals who are medically vulnerable out of Lebanon and will support others trying to leave, a joint statement by the foreign and defence ministries said on Monday.

Germans in the region can leave the country on commercial flights via airports that are still open, a spokesperson for the German foreign ministry said.

France, which has been urging citizens not to travel to Lebanon, has had evacuation plans in place for several months but has not issued an evacuation order. Present contingency plans centre on Cyprus and Beirut airport, while it is also discussing evacuations via Turkey. France has a warship in the region, and a helicopter carrier in the southern French town of Toulon, which would need several days to travel to the area.

Canada has announced it has reserved 800 seats on commercial flights over the next three days for Canadians, permanent residents and their immediate family, with the next flight scheduled to depart on Wednesday. About 45,000 Canadians are currently in Lebanon

Canadian foreign affairs minister Melanie Joly wrote on X: “If you are a Canadian citizen in Lebanon, you must leave now. If you are offered a seat, take it now.”

Australia has urged an estimated 15,000 of its citizens in Lebanon to leave while Beirut airport remains open. Earlier, news reports from Canada suggest it will co-operate with Australia, in a plan that involves contracting a commercial vessel to transport 1,000 people out each day, the Toronto Star reported.

A Bulgarian government jet has returned to Sofia with 89 nationals who were evacuated from Lebanon. Prime minister Dimitar Glavchev, who welcomed them at the Sofia airport on Monday, said the government was discussing all options for future evacuations. According to deputy foreign minister Elena Shekerletova, 160 out of about 400 Bulgarians who live in Lebanon have said they want to be evacuated.

The Greek foreign ministry has urged its citizens to leave Lebanon and avoid any travel to the country. A frigate is on standby in case assistance is needed.

Meanwhile Italy has reduced unnecessary diplomatic staff and beefed up security personnel at its embassy in Beirut, a source told Reuters. Foreign minister Antonio Tajani has repeatedly urged nationals to leave the country and sought assurances from Israel on the safety of Italian soldiers operating in peacekeeping operations in the area.

Portuguese prime minister Luis Montenegro has advised against travel to Lebanon. The country has a plan to evacuate Portuguese citizens living there in cooperation with partner countries in the EU, he said.

Speaking earlier on Monday, Lammy said: “We will do all that we can to assist people to get out and we have secured places on commercial flights that are flying tomorrow so that UK nationals can get out.

“I urge them to leave because the situation on the ground is fast moving.”

He added: “And of course, whilst we will do everything we can to protect British nationals – and those plans are in place to do so – we cannot anticipate the circumstances and the speed with which we could do that if things escalate in a major way over the coming hours and days.”

Lammy said he had spoken his US counterpart, Antony Blinken, and that they agreed that “the best way forward is an immediate ceasefire”.

It is understood that about 15 spaces for British nationals were secured on a flight that arrived on Sunday and a further 40 on a flight due to leave on Tuesday.