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The Prime Minister urged Britons to Lebanon to “leave immediately” as Israel intensifies its bombing campaign against Hezbollah. Sir Keir added that he believed the conflict between Israel and Lebanon was at “critical point”.
These are 700 British soldiers are sent to Cyprus to prepare for a possible evacuation of up to 10,000 Britons from Lebanon.
The Foreign Office says: “The FCDO continues to advise against all travel to Lebanon. If you are currently in Lebanon, we encourage you to leave, while commercial options remain available.
“Tensions are high and events could escalate without warning, which could affect or limit exit routes from Lebanon. If the political or security situation deteriorates, trade routes out of Lebanon could be seriously disrupted or canceled in the short term, and roads across the country could be closed.
“Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against the advice of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Consular support is also severely limited where the FCDO advises against travel.”
But how to leave? These are the key questions and answers.
Is Beirut airport still open?
Yes. Rafic Hariri International Airport is functioning – but far from normal. MEA, the Lebanese national airline, offers a full schedule of flights, including the usual Thursday morning departure to London Heathrow.
But many other airlines have temporarily canceled flights due to safety concerns. They include:
- Air Arabia
- AirFrance
- Cyprus Airways
- Egyptair
- Emirates
- Ethiopian Airlines
- Etihad
- Flydubai
- Lufthansa (and its sister airlines)
- Pegasus
- Royal Jordanian
- Turkish airlines
Of these, the most important for British citizens is Turkish Airlines: it normally operates three wide-body flights each day to Istanbul, where there are multiple connections across the UK.
MEA is sold out at London for at least the next week; British Airways flights to Beirut are currently suspended.
With capacity reduced by more than half from Beirut and large numbers of people of all nationalities seeking to leave Lebanon, The Independent failed to find any available places up to and including the weekend.
Evacuation planes may be sent.
Can people leave by land?
The border with Israel is closed. The border with Syria is open, but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises against “all travel to Syria due to the ongoing conflict and unpredictable security conditions”. He urges British nationals to “leave the country by all practical means”.
Some travelers may decide to risk the journey to Damascus, as the Syrian capital's airport is operating normally – with flights to Kuwait or Sharjah (next to Dubai) probably being the best choice, due to faster connections. easy with the United Kingdom.
But some British nationals travel to Lebanon's northern border, taking a taxi about 100 miles through Syria to Turkey and returning from Antakya airport via Istanbul.
Is there a boat from Lebanon to Cyprus?
No, unless you rent a boat. This is not recommended in the current situation.
How do I contact the British Embassy?
The Foreign Office says: “If you are in Lebanon and need emergency assistance from the British Government, contact the British Embassy in Beirut. »
But access to the British embassy is by appointment only. The embassy says: “To call us in an emergency or send us a request online, use our contact form.”
