What are Countries Doing to Get Nationals Out of Lebanon?

Passengers disembark a Bulgarian government evacuation flight from Lebanon. Nikolay Doychinov, AFP
Passengers disembark a Bulgarian government evacuation flight from Lebanon. Nikolay Doychinov, AFP
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What are Countries Doing to Get Nationals Out of Lebanon?

Passengers disembark a Bulgarian government evacuation flight from Lebanon. Nikolay Doychinov, AFP
Passengers disembark a Bulgarian government evacuation flight from Lebanon. Nikolay Doychinov, AFP

Western nations have drafted contingency plans to evacuate citizens from Lebanon after a dramatic escalation in the conflict between Israel and the Lebanese armed movement Hezbollah, coupled with Iran's missile attack on Israel on Tuesday.
No country has launched a large-scale military evacuation yet, though some are chartering aircraft as Beirut airport stays open, reported Reuters.
Here are details on contingency planning:
AUSTRALIA
It has organized hundreds of airline seats for its citizens to leave Lebanon, and has flown military aircraft to Cyprus as part of a contingency plan. Its contingency plans could include evacuation by sea, though authorities have urged an estimated 15,000 citizens in Lebanon to leave while Beirut airport remains open.
BELGIUM
Belgium's foreign ministry has advised citizens to leave as soon as possible, the Belga news agency said.
CHINA
More than 200 Chinese citizens have been safely evacuated by the government, China's official Xinhua news agency said.
CANADA
News reports from Canada suggest it will co-operate with Australia in evacuating nationals by sea. The plan involves contracting a commercial vessel to ferry out 1,000 people a day, the Toronto Star newspaper said.
CYPRUS
Cyprus has asked Greece to provide an aircraft to help evacuate its nationals who wish to leave. There are an estimated 1,000-1,500 Cypriots in Lebanon, though the number wishing to leave is estimated at far lower.
FRANCE
France has not issued an evacuation order, despite having had plans for several months. Present contingency plans center on Cyprus and Beirut airport, while it is also discussing evacuations via Türkiye. France has a warship in the region, while a French helicopter carrier will arrive in the eastern Mediterranean in the coming days and take up position in case a decision is taken to evacuate foreign nationals from Lebanon.
GERMANY
Germany has evacuated non-essential staff, families of embassy workers and German nationals who are medically vulnerable from Lebanon and will support others trying to leave, the foreign and defense ministries said in a joint statement on Monday.
GREECE
The Greek foreign ministry has urged its citizens to leave Lebanon and avoid any travel there, with a frigate on standby in case assistance is needed.
ITALY
Italy has cut diplomatic staff and beefed up security personnel at its Beirut embassy. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has repeatedly urged nationals to leave the country and sought assurances from Israel over the safety of Italian peacekeepers in the area.
THE NETHERLANDS
The Netherlands will send a military plane to repatriate nationals from Lebanon with two flights on Oct 4 and 5, the Dutch Ministry of Defense said on Wednesday. The flights to the military airbase in Eindhoven will also be available for people from other countries if there is enough room to accommodate them, it said.
POLAND
Poland will limit staff numbers at its Beirut embassy, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday, adding that Warsaw would organize transport for citizens wanting to leave Lebanon.
PORTUGAL
Prime Minister Luis Montenegro has advised against travel to Lebanon, which assisted in the evacuation of a small number of Portuguese citizens living there.
SPAIN
Spain plans to send two military aircraft to evacuate as many as 350 citizens from Lebanon as early as Thursday .
Türkiye
Türkiye is ready for a possible evacuation of Turks from Lebanon via air and sea, and is working with about 20 countries for a possible evacuation of foreign nationals via Türkiye. About 14,000 Turkish citizens were registered at the consulate in Lebanon, but the number was not definitive.
UNITED KINGDOM
Britain has urged nationals to leave immediately. It has moved about 700 troops to Cyprus, bolstering its military assets, including two Royal Navy ships. It also has two military bases on the island. Britain chartered a flight on Wednesday for its nationals, and additional charter flights are to follow, diplomatic sources said.
UNITED STATES
The United States has ordered dozens of troops deployed to Cyprus to help prepare for scenarios such as an evacuation of Americans from Lebanon. It is working with airlines to add flights out of Lebanon, with more seats for Americans, the State Department said on Tuesday.



Hassan Nasrallah's Son-In-Law Killed in Israeli Airstrike on Damascus

People stand near the targeted building in the Mezzeh neighborhood in Damascus (EPA)
People stand near the targeted building in the Mezzeh neighborhood in Damascus (EPA)
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Hassan Nasrallah's Son-In-Law Killed in Israeli Airstrike on Damascus

People stand near the targeted building in the Mezzeh neighborhood in Damascus (EPA)
People stand near the targeted building in the Mezzeh neighborhood in Damascus (EPA)

Slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah's son-in-law, Hassan Jafar Qassir, was killed in an Israeli raid which targeted an apartment in a residential building in the Mezzeh district of Damascus, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Hassan is the brother of Muhammad Jafar Qassir, who was killed in an Israeli strike in Beirut two days ago. According to the Observatory, Muhammad was responsible for the transfer of Hezbollah weapons from Syria to Lebanon.

On Wednesday, media reports said Hassan Jafar Qassir was killed in an Israeli strike that hit the first floor of a three-story building frequented by Hezbollah and Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps leaders in the Mezzeh district.

Three people were killed in the strike, including two non-Syrians. At least four unidentified people were injured.

The Mezzeh district is home to Syrian security and military headquarters, as well as embassies and UN agencies.

The targeted building is located about half a kilometer from the site of a raid that targeted last Tuesday two mini-buses, killing three civilians including a media worker, as well as three pro-Iran fighters, including a Hezbollah member, AFP reported.

Since Syria's civil war erupted in 2011, Israel has conducted hundreds of strikes in the country, targeting army positions and Iran-allied fighters, including Hezbollah.

The strikes have increased in recent days, including on areas near the border with Lebanon.

Tens of thousands of people have crossed into Syria over the past week, fleeing heavy Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon.

Israeli authorities rarely comment on individual strikes in Syria, but have repeatedly said they will not allow arch-enemy Iran to expand its presence there.