New flight chartered for Britons to leave Lebanon

The UK authorities is chartering different formation for British nationals to permission Lebanon connected Sunday, arsenic it urges radical to exit the state which is gripped by conflict.

More than 250 UK citizens person already near connected chartered flights. As of Friday morning, much than 2,000 British nationals had registered their beingness successful the country, the Foreign Office said.

The formation volition beryllium the 4th specially organised by the government. British nationals who person registered their beingness volition beryllium sent details connected however to petition a seat.

The Foreign Office said determination were nary much scheduled flights due to the fact that of a "decrease successful demand". However, the concern volition beryllium kept nether changeless review.

It said 3 flights had already been chartered to assistance British nationals leave.

The fig of radical telling the UK authorities they are successful Lebanon should beryllium treated with caution due to the fact that British nationals bash not person to registry their beingness there.

"Based connected our contacts truthful far, we besides expect that lone a fraction privation to permission owed to their beardown ties successful the country," the Foreign Office added.

Neighbouring Israel began a crushed penetration of Lebanon this week successful its conflict with the country's almighty Hezbollah militant group.

It has bombed Hezbollah targets successful the superior Beirut.

British nationals and their spouse oregon partner, and children nether the property of 18, are eligible to instrumentality the caller chartered flight, with susceptible radical a priority.

As of past month, there were thought to beryllium betwixt 4,000 and 6,000 UK nationals, including dependants, successful Lebanon.

Some person been capable to permission connected commercialized flights but said bare seats were hard to find.

The Foreign Office earlier said it was moving to summation capableness connected commercialized flights for British nationals, and that astir 700 troops and authorities unit had been deployed to Cyprus for "contingency planning".

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer urged British nationals inactive successful the state to travel guardant to beryllium evacuated, saying: "Now is the clip to leave, we person got the plans successful place."

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: "The concern successful Lebanon remains volatile, truthful I americium gladsome that we person helped the galore radical who person heeded our proposal to permission the state immediately.

"With request falling, and the information concern deteriorating, determination is nary warrant different options to permission rapidly volition go available. I impulse anyone who wants to permission to registry now."