UK warns citizens to evacuate Lebanon amid rising tensions
Passengers stranded due to the suspension or delay of flights at Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport in response to the potential threat of an Israeli military attack on Lebanon on July 29, 2024. (AA Photo)
On Thursday, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy expressed deep concern over escalating tensions in Lebanon, urging U.K. citizens to leave the country while commercial options are still available.
In phone conversations with his Lebanese counterpart, Najib Mikati, Lammy emphasized the rising tensions and civilian casualties in Lebanon. He underscored the necessity of negotiations to restore stability and security along the Blue Line.
‘Leave while commercial options remain’
“My message to British nationals in Lebanon is to leave while commercial options remain. Tensions are high, and the situation could deteriorate rapidly,” he stated on X.
The call to evacuate comes in the wake of recent devastating incidents in Lebanon. Earlier this week, thousands of pagers exploded in Beirut and other areas, resulting in 12 fatalities and 2,323 injuries.
A subsequent wave of explosions on Wednesday claimed an additional 25 lives and injured 608 others.
There has been no response from Israel regarding the blasts, which occurred amid a significant escalation in cross-border hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, following Israel’s ongoing military campaign in the Gaza Strip that has resulted in nearly 41,300 deaths, predominantly women and children, since the Hamas attack on October 7 last year.
