The British government has chartered a commercial flight out of Lebanon to assist British nationals who want to leave, the Foreign Secretary said.
“The situation in Lebanon is unstable and has the potential to deteriorate rapidly,” David Lamy said of the recent escalation of violence in the region.
British nationals and their spouses or partners, as well as children under 18, are eligible, with priority being given to vulnerable groups.
The flight is scheduled to leave Beirut on Wednesday.
The UK government will pay for the charter flight, which will depart from Beirut Rafik Hariri International Airport, but British nationals are expected to pay a fee of £350 per seat.
British nationals and their dependents will be eligible to apply for a seat on the flight. Any non-UK dependents boarding the flight will need to hold a visa for at least 6 months to enter the UK.
The Foreign Office said any further flights in the coming days would depend on demand and the security situation on the ground.
“The safety of British nationals in Lebanon remains our top priority,” Lamy said.
He told reporters: “I urge them to leave because the situation on the ground is changing rapidly and, of course, while we will do everything we can to protect British nationals and the plans are in place, we cannot predict the situation and the speed of what will happen in the coming hours and days. With a massive upgrade within days, we can do this.
Lamy and US President Antony Blinken spoke by phone on Monday evening. He said they had seen media reports and had all urged “de-escalation”.
He added that Britain would maintain contact with Iran.
Asked whether he agreed with the U.S. response to the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, Lamy said: “I do not mourn the death of the leader of a banned terrorist organization, but I do mourn the death of the leader of a banned terrorist organization. Civilians killed in the attack.
He said that was why Britain and other countries called for a 21-day ceasefire to enhance prospects for a political solution.
Sir Keir Starmer last week Tell this to British nationals in Lebanon “Leave immediately” after fighting intensified between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed armed group that dominates the country.
Britons had previously been advised to book outbound flights, but the options available were limited and most airlines except national carriers had canceled flights.
The UK Ministry of Defense (MoD) has sent nearly 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”.
In Lebanon, officials say more than 1,000 people have died in the past two weeks and as many as 1 million people may now be displaced.
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.
