1st charter flight bringing back UK citizens departs Lebanon

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - The first British charter flight has left Lebanon bringing British nationals out of the country amid escalating tensions in the region, the UK foreign secretary said Wednesday.

"We have arranged another flight for tomorrow, and further flights over the coming days for as long as there is demand and it is safe to do so," David Lammy wrote on X.

The British foreign secretary once again urged all UK citizens who are still in Lebanon to register with the Foreign Office and "leave the country immediately."

Since Sept. 23, Israel has launched massive airstrikes against what it calls Hezbollah targets across Lebanon, killing more than 1,000 people and injuring over 2,950 others, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.

The top leadership of Hezbollah was killed in the Israeli assaults, including its leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the start of Israel's war on Gaza, which has killed more than 41,000 people, following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas last October.

​​​​​​​The international community has warned that Israeli attacks in Lebanon could escalate the Gaza conflict into a wider regional war.​​​​​​​