Keir Starmer has urged UK nationals to leave Lebanon immediately as the Ministry of Defence ramped up contingency plans to evacuate Brits amid fears of all-out war
Hundreds of extra British troops are being deployed to Cyprus as the UK steps up plans to evacuate British nationals from Lebanon.
Keir Starmer has advised up to 10,000 Brits to get out of the Middle Eastern nation immediately as the Ministry of Defence ramped up contingency plans to get Brits to safety amid fears of all-out war with Israel. Speaking to journalists on a flight to the UN General Assembly in New York, he said: “The most important message from me this evening is to British nationals in Lebanon, to leave immediately and I just want to reinforce that.
“Yes, we are ramping up the contingency plans, I think that you would expect that in light of the escalation. But it is important that we be really, really clear: now is the time to leave. More broadly, I am worried about the situation and I think we need to be clear we need de-escalation, we need a ceasefire, we need to pull back from the brink.”
Around 700 UK troops are expected to move to Cyprus overnight following significant escalation in the conflict in recent days. Defence Secretary John Healey rushed back from Labour conference in Liverpool on Tuesday for high-level talks as the Government scrambles to avoid a repeat of the chaotic evacuation from Afghanistan in 2021 as UK citizens and Afghan allies fled the Taliban.
UK nationals are being urged to leave Lebanon while commercial flights are still available. RAF aircraft and transport helicopters have been put on standby to assist if needed to get Brits to safety.
Last night, Mr Healey said: “Events in the past hours and days have demonstrated how volatile this situation is, which is why our message is clear, British nationals should leave now. We continue to urge all sides to step back from conflict to prevent further tragic loss of life.
“Our government is ensuring all preparations are in place to support British Nationals should the situation deteriorate. I want to thank the British personnel who are deploying in the region for their commitment and professionalism.”
The UK already has a significant military presence in the region, including RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus and Royal Navy ships RFA Mounts Bay and HMS Duncan, in the eastern Mediterranean. Military teams will be supported by Border Force and Foreign Office officials. The Prime Minister will meet world leaders in New York on Wednesday at the UN General Assembly where conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan are high on the agenda.
