US, UK, Jordan urge citizens to leave Lebanon on ‘any ticket available’
As airlines cancel flights from Beirut, Washington urges citizens to take what they can get; UK foreign minister says ‘message to British nationals there is clear: leave now’
The American and British governments urged their citizens in Lebanon on Saturday to leave the country as soon as possible, citing escalating tensions with Israel as the region braces for a promised Iranian and Hezbollah response to several high-profile assassinations last week.
“Tensions are high, and the situation could deteriorate rapidly,” UK Foreign Minister David Lammy said in a statement on Saturday. “While we are working round the clock to strengthen our consular presence in Lebanon, my message to British nationals there is clear — leave now.”
The US embassy in Lebanon also urged its citizens on Saturday to leave Lebanon on “any ticket available.” The warning came several days after the US raised its travel advisory for the country to Level Four, “Do Not Travel,” on Wednesday, citing “rising tensions between [Hezbollah] and Israel.”
Despite flight suspensions and cancelations, “commercial transportation options to leave Lebanon remain available,” the US embassy statement on Saturday said.
“We encourage those who wish to depart Lebanon to book any ticket available to them, even if that flight does not depart immediately or does not follow their first-choice route,” the statement continued.
Jordan’s foreign ministry similarly published a statement urging all Jordanian nationals in Lebanon to leave as soon as possible and for those planning to travel to Lebanon to not do so, citing “the developments taking place in the region” and concerns for its citizens’ safety.
Meanwhile, Canada warned citizens to avoid all travel to Israel, saying the regional armed conflict endangered security.
“The security situation can deteriorate further without warning,” the Canadian government said in a travel advisory. “If the armed conflict intensifies, it could impact your ability to depart by commercial means. It may result in travel disruptions, including airspace closures and flight cancellations and diversions.”
Many countries issued urgent travel warnings about Lebanon last week, after a rocket attack by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terror group on July 27 killed 12 children and teens in the Golan Heights, and Israel vowed to make the Iranian-backed terror group pay a heavy price for the strike.
In the wake of that Hezbollah attack, the UK Foreign Office urged Brits to avoid “all travel to Lebanon,” and Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands all called on citizens to leave the country immediately. Sweden, Norway, Belgium and Denmark also reiterated calls for their citizens to leave Lebanon.
A few days later, on August 30, Israel assassinated Fuad Shukr, a top Hezbollah commander. Within hours, the political leader of the Hamas terror group, Ismail Haniyeh, was assassinated, in Tehran, in a blast widely attributed to Israel.
Iran and Hezbollah vowed to respond to the killings. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with US President Joe Biden, who promised American support in the event of an Iranian attack, and the United States also increased its military presence in the region.
Many airlines, including Emirates, Aegean, Air France and Lufthansa have canceled flights to Lebanon amid the escalating tensions.
In addition, at least 18 airlines have canceled flights to Israel. Several Israel-bound flights last week were also redirected after take-off, returning to their place of departure.
My message to Australian citizens and residents in Lebanon is now is the time to leave. pic.twitter.com/74DNfh1UNz
— Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) July 31, 2024
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, in a video posted to X on Wednesday, said, “My message to Australian citizens and residents in Lebanon is: now is the time to leave. If you are in Australia and thinking of traveling to Lebanon – do not.”
Poland also updated its travel guidance on Friday, in light of the escalating situation, advising citizens not to travel to Lebanon or Israel, as the country’s national airline canceled flights to the countries. Poland also advised against travel to Iran.
On Friday, Arabic media reported that Hezbollah has also been evacuating its senior personnel from strongholds in the southern suburbs of Beirut, in anticipation of potential Israeli strikes.
On Saturday, Iran said it expects Hezbollah will strike deeper inside Israel than it has so far, and that it may not limit itself to military targets, following Shukr’s assassination.
