British people told ‘leave Lebanon immediately’ as UK troops amass in Cyprus
Britain is moving 700 troops to Cyprus to be ready for an emergency evacuation of UK citizens of Lebanon as Israel’s military pounds the region.
Thousands of civilians have been fleeing southern Lebanon as Beirut is flattened by Israeli strikes, leaving cars and roads covered by the rubble debris of exploded buildings and hundreds killed and 1,000 wounded.
An estimated 10,000 British nationals are reported to be in the country.
The estimated 10,000 British nationals have been urged to leave, though with airlines not running to the Middle Eastern nation, their options are few and far between.
The Royal Air Force has planes and transport helicopters on standby to provide support. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has told Britons not to ‘rely’ on the department for emergency escape routes, though the department alongside Border Force is supporting military teams.
Defence Secretary John Healey announced the move to dispatch more troops to Cyprus, about 160 miles away over the Mediterranean Sea, at a meeting of the government’s emergency response cell, Cobra, yesterday.
‘Events in the past hours and days have demonstrated how volatile this situation is, which is why our message is clear, British nationals should leave now,’ he said.
‘We continue to urge all sides to step back from conflict to prevent further tragic loss of life.
‘Our Government is ensuring all preparations are in place to support British nationals should the situation deteriorate.
‘I want to thank the British personnel who are deploying in the region for their commitment and professionalism.’
Lebanese officials said Tuesday that Israeli strikes have killed nearly 560 people, including 94 women and 50 children.
Some 27,000 displaced people have been settled in 252 temporary shelters, while footage showed people sleeping in cars, parks and along the beach.
Alongside Beirut, Baalbek and the towns of Aita, Ain Bourday, Bouday, Taria and Douris in the Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon have also been targets.
As swathes of southern Lebanon are reduced to smouldering ruins and roads clogged with thousands fleeing from their homes, Israel has claimed it is bombarding Lebanon with ‘such intensity’ to ‘disrupt’ Hezbollah.
What is the travel advice for Lebanon?
The Foreign Office’s travel advice for Lebanon hasn’t been updated since September 20 but is ‘still current’ as of today, advising ‘against all travel’.
The page says: ‘FCDO advises against all travel to Lebanon due to risks associated with the ongoing conflict between Israel, Lebanese Hizballah and other non-state actors in Lebanon.
‘There are ongoing mortar and artillery exchanges and airstrikes in Lebanon, primarily on the boundary with Israel but also in parts of the Beqaa Valley and some other locations north of the Litani river.’
The FCDO adds: ‘Check with airlines and travel companies for updates on flight availability. Ensure your travel documents and those of your family’s are current. If the situation deteriorates, it might not be possible to issue a passport in time for any journey you might plan.
‘Do not rely on FCDO being able to evacuate you in an emergency.’
‘We will strive for the campaign to be as short as possible, but we must be prepared for it to take longer,’ an IDF spokesperson said.
Israel has been sparring with Hezbollah, the Lebanese political party and militia, for the past 11 months along the Israel-Lebanon Border.
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