The Prime Minister has told British nationals in Lebanon to “leave immediately” after fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah intensified.
Sir Keir Starmer said “we are stepping up our contingency plans” and warned “we could be on the brink” of all-out war.
The UK Ministry of Defense (MoD) is sending 700 troops to nearby Cyprus to prepare for the possible evacuation of British nationals from Lebanon, and the government “continues to advise against travel to Lebanon”.
Britons have been advised to book outbound flights, but the options available are limited and most airlines, apart from the national carrier, have canceled flights and ceased operations, reporting that remaining flights are full.
Israeli attacks this week reportedly killed more than 560 people in the country, with the situation described as “rapidly deteriorating with devastating consequences”.
Lebanon’s health minister tells BBC what’s happening in his country is ‘massacre’Israel has launched two days of massive air strikes against Hezbollah, with hospitals struggling to cope with the toll.
Asked by reporters how the British Prime Minister will ensure that the situation does not repeat the chaos in the Afghan capital Kabul Taliban seizes control in August 2021Sir Keir said: “My most important message to British nationals in Lebanon is to leave immediately.
“The important thing is that we have been very, very clear: now is the time to leave.”
The handling of the Afghan evacuation, which saw 15,000 people flown out, has been widely criticized as mismanaged and chaotic.
There are currently an estimated 10,000 British citizens in Lebanon. The difference, at least for now, is that there are still commercial flights leaving Lebanon and British citizens should book their seats, a senior government source said.
U.S. citizens have also been told to leave the country. The U.S. Embassy in Lebanon said most airlines have suspended or canceled flights and many are sold out, and urged people to book any available tickets.
Almost all airlines operating in Lebanon have stopped flying Domestic and foreign The exception is the national carrier Middle East Airlines (MEA).
Alistair, a British citizen living in Beirut who is married to a Lebanese woman, said daily life was largely normal.
Asked about the intensification of the conflict, he told the BBC’s PM program: “It’s a different level, isn’t it?”
He urged diplomats to “make a deal, stop the violence” and “bring peace, because ordinary people here are only the recipients of everything they are dealing with”.
The 700 British troops deployed to Cyprus will join the 500 military personnel sent to Cyprus this summer as part of the Ministry of Defense’s contingency plan for evacuation operations.
Two British warships have arrived in the area and Royal Air Force aircraft and helicopters are on standby.
Sir Keir was “deeply concerned” when asked by BBC Radio 4’s Today program if he felt the world was on the brink of all-out war in the Middle East.
He said he “put it in terms that we may be at an edge point and we have to come back from the edge”.
He joined other ministers in renewing calls for an immediate ceasefire and de-escalation.
Defense Secretary John Healey said: “We continue to urge all parties to withdraw from the conflict to prevent further tragic loss of life.
“Our government is ensuring everything is in place to support British nationals should the situation worsen.
“I would like to thank the British personnel deployed in the area for their commitment and professionalism.”
Healey held a meeting with other ministers, intelligence chiefs and diplomats on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the government’s plans.
Officials say Britain already has a significant diplomatic and military presence near Lebanon, including the Royal Air Force Base Akrotiri in Cyprus and two Royal Navy ships, RFA Mounts Bay and HMS Duncan, which have been in the eastern Mediterranean this summer.
The Royal Air Force also has aircraft and helicopters on standby.
The escalating conflict in the Middle East is likely to be a key topic for discussion by the prime minister and other world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Sir Keir arrived in the city on Tuesday evening local time.
Tensions have been rising throughout the Middle East since Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7 last year, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages.
Israel’s military operations in Gaza in response to Hamas attacks have killed more than 41,000 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
Previously sporadic fighting between Israel and Hezbollah escalated on October 8, the day after Hamas launched an unprecedented attack. Hezbollah fired on Israeli positions in solidarity with Hamas.
Hezbollah has fired more than 8,000 rockets into northern Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. It also fires anti-tank missiles at armored vehicles and attacks military targets with explosive drones.
Last week, Hezbollah communications equipment began exploding across Lebanon.
Israel launched a series of massive air strikes on Monday that have so far killed 560 people, according to the Lebanese government.
The British government helped coordinate the evacuation of British nationals from Gaza last year, and around 200 British citizens are believed to have been living in the area before the war broke out.
