Starmer calls for UK nationals in Lebanon to 'leave and to leave immediately' as Israel-Hezbollah conflict escalates

25 September 2024, 14:53 | Updated: 25 September 2024, 15:16

Sir Keir Starmer has repeated calls for British citizens to leave Lebanon "immediately" as the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah continues to escalate.

Thousands of Brits are currently stuck in Lebanon as fighting between Israel and Hezbollah continues to escalate.

The Prime Minister, who is visiting New York for a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, urged both sides to cease hostilities.

On Wednesday the terrorist group Hezbollah fired a ballistic missile at Tel Aviv, as Israel carried out strikes in Lebanon. Israel's military has said it will activate its reserve brigades.

700 British troops were due to arrive on Wednesday in Cyprus as the UK prepared for the possible evacuation of its citizens from Lebanon.

Sir Keir told broadcasters in New York: "I am very worried about the escalation.

"I'm calling for all parties to step back from the brink, to de-escalate. We need a ceasefire so this can be sorted out diplomatically.

"But I have a very important message for British nationals in Lebanon, which is the time to leave is now.

"The contingency plans are being ramped up, but don't wait for those. There are still commercial flights.

"It's very important that they hear my message, which is to leave and to leave immediately."

Troops have already been sent to Cyprus as the British Government is drawing up plans to evacuate British citizens from Lebanon amid the fighting.

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The surface-to-surface missile fired from Lebanon on Wednesday set off air raid sirens in Tel Aviv and across central Israel.

There have been no reports of casualties or damage, according to the Associated Press.

The Israeli army said it struck the site in southern Lebanon from which the projectile was launched.

Hezbollah said it fired a Qader 1 ballistic missile targeting the headquarters of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency, which it blames for a recent string of targeted killings of its top commanders and for an attack last week in which bombs hidden in pagers and walkie-talkies killed dozens of people and wounded thousands, including many Hezbollah members.

The Israeli military said it was the first time a projectile fired from Lebanon had reached central Israel.

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.

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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.