British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has issued an urgent call for all UK nationals in Lebanon to “leave immediately,” citing the rapidly deteriorating situation in the region following escalating conflict.
Speaking from New York, where he is attending the United Nations General Assembly, Starmer said the government is ramping up contingency plans and deploying 700 British troops to nearby Cyprus to prepare for a potential evacuation of citizens. This comes amid growing concerns over safety as the violence intensifies.
The most important message from me to British nationals in Lebanon is to leave immediately. Now is the time to leave,” Sir Keir stressed in a statement. The Ministry of Defence has already positioned resources in Cyprus and has Royal Navy ships and RAF aircraft on standby to assist in evacuation efforts if the situation worsens.
Commercial flights are still departing from Lebanon, providing an option for immediate departure, unlike the chaotic scenes during the Afghanistan evacuation in 2021. The British government, however, continues to advise against all travel to Lebanon.
Over the past 24 hours, more than 500 people have been reported killed in Lebanon, following Israeli air strikes in response to attacks from Hezbollah, the militant group based in the country. The death toll continues to rise as the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah escalates, with Hezbollah launching over 8,000 rockets at Israeli positions since 8 October 2023, following Hamas’s attack on Israel.
Defence Secretary John Healey urged all sides to step back from the conflict, saying, “We continue to urge all sides to step back from conflict to prevent further tragic loss of life.” Healey also praised the British forces stationed in the region for their professionalism as they prepared to support British nationals.
The ongoing violence in the Middle East is expected to be a major topic at the UN General Assembly, with world leaders convening to discuss diplomatic interventions and humanitarian responses.
Tensions have been on the rise since Hamas gunmen launched an attack on Israel last October, and fighting between Hezbollah and Israeli forces quickly followed. Lebanon has since been heavily impacted, with hundreds of civilians caught in the crossfire as Israeli airstrikes continue.
British nationals still in Lebanon are being urged to contact the UK Foreign Office for assistance and to make immediate arrangements for their departure.
