UK “ready to evacuate its nationals from Lebanon” after death of Hezbollah leader

The government is prepared to evacuate up to 5,000 British nationals from Lebanon as the conflict with Israel intensifies.

The situation deteriorated significantly on Saturday when it was confirmed that Israeli forces had killed Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the militant group Hezbollah, in an airstrike on Beirut on Friday.

The Foreign Office has warned British nationals to leave Lebanon immediately, with Foreign Secretary David Lammy saying the government had been working to “increase flights and secure seats”.

It is understood that the UK government has successfully asked airlines to increase capacity on routes out of Lebanon, with teams from the Foreign Office in Beirut supporting British consulate services.

They are believed to be prepared to facilitate evacuations by sea or air, which could be triggered if the security environment deteriorates further and British nationals are no longer able to leave the Middle East by other means. roads.

Around 700 additional troops were transferred to the British air base in Cyprus earlier this week.

Experts said I they expect that the British armed forces will be able to organize an airlift or amphibious evacuation to rescue thousands of stranded British citizens.

At the same time, the government reiterated its call for calm in the Middle East after the death of the Hezbollah leader in an Israeli airstrike.

The Lebanese militant group issued a statement Saturday confirming the death of Nasrallah, Hezbollah leader since 1992, saying he had “joined his fellow martyrs.”

Nasrallah’s death in the attack on Beirut Friday night added to concerns that the conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah could escalate into a full-scale regional war.

Following the news of his death, British officials reiterated the Foreign Secretary’s message to the UN earlier this week, in which he called for a ceasefire and a political solution to the conflict.

Mr Lammy told the UN Security Council on Wednesday: “A full-scale war is not in the interests of the Israeli or Lebanese people. »

But calls for a ceasefire by Western leaders, including US President Joe Biden, have so far proved unsuccessful, with Israel and Hezbollah pledging to continue the fight.

In its statement confirming Mr. Nasrallah’s death, Hezbollah pledged to “continue the holy war against the enemy and in support of Palestine,” while Israeli chief of staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, said the elimination of the militant leader was “not the end of our toolbox.” », suggesting that other actions were planned.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose government is Hezbollah’s main backer, issued his own message saying “regional resistance forces” should “stay away and support Hezbollah “.

Friday’s strike on what the Israeli military said was Hezbollah’s headquarters was followed by additional airstrikes on southern Beirut, prompting civilians to move north in an attempt to reach safety.

Ettie Higgins, Unicef’s deputy representative in Lebanon, said “thousands and thousands” of people fled south Beirut while hospitals were “overwhelmed” and water pumping stations were destroyed.

She told the BBC’s Today programme: “Even the most basic essential services, namely healthcare and water, are now quickly and rapidly being depleted.

“There was already a humanitarian crisis in Lebanon, as the country has hosted more than a million Syrian refugees for over a decade, and it is quickly escalating into disaster. »

She added that 50 children had been killed and she expected that figure to rise as the airstrikes continued.