UK sends troops to Cyprus anticipating mass evacuation of its nationals from Lebanon
700 soldiers to join two navy ships already on hand along with aircraft; PM Starmer says very important for British subjects in war-torn country to ‘leave immediately’
LONDON — Britain is moving troops to Cyprus in position to help evacuate nationals trapped in Lebanon, while Prime Minister Keir Starmer called Wednesday for diplomacy and an immediate ceasefire to bring Israel and Hezbollah back from the brink of an all out war.
Starmer told British citizens to leave while there were still commercial flights.
“It’s very important that they hear my message, which is to leave and to leave immediately,” he told reporters.
After more than 11 months of cross-border violence — beginning October 8, when Hezbollah started firing rockets at Israel in support of its ally Hamas, one day after Hamas carried out a massacre in Israel — Israel and Hezbollah have stepped up fighting in recent days, with hundreds of rockets fired at Israel and intensive IDF airstrikes on Hezbollah sites in Lebanon, as well as the targeted assassinations of a number of the terror group’s leaders.
The British government said in a statement late on Tuesday that 700 troops would travel to Cyprus, bolstering its presence in the area where it already has two Royal Navy ships, aircraft and transport helicopters.
The spike in violence between Israel and Hezbollah has increased fears that nearly a year of conflict in Gaza will expand into a wider war destabilizing the Middle East.
“I’m calling for all parties to step back from the brink, to de-escalate,” Starmer said. “We need a ceasefire so this can be sorted out diplomatically.”
Lebanon’s health minister said 51 people were killed and more than 220 injured Wednesday, on the third day of major Israeli strikes across the country. The figure does not distinguish between combatants and civilians.
“Since this morning 51 people have been killed and 223 injured in the various strikes” on the country, Firass Abiad told reporters.
The fighting has also caused hundreds of thousands of Lebanese to leave the south of their country where the fighting is heaviest.
The foreign minister said half a million people have fled their homes. Thousands of displaced people are sheltering in schools and other buildings.
Hezbollah continued to fire barrages of rockets at Israel throughout Wednesday morning, including 40 rockets aimed at Safed, one of which directly hit a home in the city, causing major damage, but no injuries.
The IDF said it was carrying out a “wide” wave of airstrikes against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon and the Beqaa Valley, striking more than 280 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon.
Israeli officials have stressed that fighting will continue until Hezbollah is deterred and tens of thousands of residents of the north who have been displaced for close to a year can return home.
