Race to flee Lebanon: Brits speak of clamour to get out as 700 troops deployed to Cyprus to aid evacuation
25 September 2024, 12:47 | Updated: 25 September 2024, 13:31
Britons trapped in Lebanon have spoken of their struggle to leave the region after the Prime Minister urged those living in the country to evacuate "immediately".
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Speaking on the matter mid-way through the party conference, Keir Starmer called for Brits to leave the region amid rising tensions with Israel.
It comes amid growing fears of all-out war as Israel continued its bombardment of Hezbollah, with the military confirming it had carried out further "extensive" retaliatory strikes after the group fired towards Tel Aviv.
Lebanon has now confirmed 15 people were killed in Israeli strikes on Wednesday, including two strikes that hit a mountainous area close to Hezbollah’s stronghold.
The calls from both the Foreign Secretary and PM follow news that the UK is sending around 700 troops to Cyprus ahead of a potential emergency evacuation of Lebanon.
The potential plans would also see warships and RAF jets - which are already stationed in Cyprus - used to assist in the mass rescue mission.
Thousands of Brits are currently stuck in Lebanon as fighting between Israel and Hezbollah continues to escalate.
Wednesday saw increased fears that commercial escape routes could soon be cut off, after airlines continuing to suspend flights to the region.
'How am I supposed to leave when every flight is cancelled,' Stuart Brookes asked.
Wizz Air, British Airways and Azerbaijan Airlines have all cancelled flights to and from Ben Gurion Airport amid unrest in the Middle East.
In addition, several Middle Eastern airlines have also been forced to re-route for a two-day period in a bid to avoid dangers in the region.
Several Brits took to social media following calls from the British Government to evacuate the region.
They have claimed that neither they nor members of their families have so far received any form of response from the British consulate.
It follows the UK Foreign Office "temporarily withdrawing" the families of officials "working at the British Embassy Beirut" in August, as the region braces for further violence.
Another Brit in the region, Amanda Bonner, responded to the order to leave the country on social media, claiming "nobody is replying" to Brits desperately enquiring about exit routes.
She wrote: "My daughter who is British, her first son aged 4 born in Britain both have passports her second son aged 6 months has no passport have tried to get one but embassy not replying .. how can we get them out?"
It comes as Brits and Lebanese nationals alike have been forced to leave the region.
TikTok user fatima.aladdin who lives in the region filmed herself and a file of bags fleeing in a car, with the caption: "2nd #Evacuation in 2 days..."
While TikTok user Meriam Awadaa said her family, like many, are "stuck, because everybody is trying to evacuate right now".
The conflict intensified after 4,000 pagers carried by Hezbollah members in Lebanon exploded last Tuesday.
Just one day later, 1,000 walkie-talkies belonging to members of the group explode, in a follow-up attack that saw the blame laid at Israel's door.
Tiny amounts of explosives are thought to have been embedded in the devices during the production process, with the synchronised attack killing at least 12 people and injuring around three thousand more.
