Leave Lebanon now, Starmer tells Britons
ReutersThe prime minister has told British nationals in Lebanon to "leave immediately" after fighting intensified between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed armed group which dominates the country.
Sir Keir Starmer said "we are ramping up the contingency plans” and warned that "we are potentially at a brink" of all-out war.
The Ministry of Defence (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 all travel to Lebanon".
Britons have been advised to book flights out of the country - but there are limited options available, with most airlines except the national carrier having cancelled flights and ceased operating and reports that those remaining are full.
The situation in the country, where Israeli strikes reportedly killed more than 560 people this week, is described as deteriorating "rapidly, with devastating consequences".
Lebanon’s health minister has told the BBC what is happening in his country is “carnage”, as hospitals struggle to cope with the number of casualties from two days of widespread Israeli air strikes targeting Hezbollah.
Asked by reporters how the British prime minister would ensure the situation wasn’t a repeat of the chaos in the Afghan capital Kabul when the Taliban seized control in August 2021, Sir Keir said: "The most important message from me to British nationals in Lebanon is to leave immediately.
"It is important that we’ve been really, really clear: now is the time to leave.”
The handling of the Afghan evacuation, where 15,000 people were airlifted out of the country, was widely criticised as mismanaged and chaotic.
An estimated 10,000 UK citizens are currently in Lebanon. A senior government source said that the difference, for now at least, was that there were still commercial flights leaving Lebanon and British nationals should book a seat.
US citizens have also been told to leave the country. The US Embassy in Lebanon said that most airlines had suspended or cancelled flights with many flights sold out, and urged people to book any ticket available.
Almost every airline operating in Lebanon has stopped flying in and out of the country except for the national airline, Middle East Airlines (MEA).
Alistair, a British national who is married to a Lebanese woman and living in Beirut, said that day-to-day life was mainly carrying on as normal.
Asked about the intensification of the conflict, he told BBC's PM programme: "It's a different level isn't it":[]}