Italy evacuates 178 citizens from Lebanon amid rising security concerns

By Baris Seckin

ROME (AA) - The Italian government evacuated 178 of its citizens from Lebanon on Friday, citing rising security concerns due to ongoing Israeli attacks in the region.

A special government-organized flight brought the evacuees safely back to Rome, marking the first official evacuation effort by Italy since the conflict in Lebanon escalated.

In a statement, the Italian Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed that 178 Italians arrived in Rome after being transported on a specially arranged flight the previous evening. The ministry also announced plans to continue evacuations, stating that additional flights would be organized in the coming days for those unable to secure commercial travel out of Lebanon.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani emphasized the importance of the evacuation operation. "We have called on all Italians to leave Lebanon via commercial flights, and we are working to increase this number through charter flights," Tajani said, assuring that the situation is being closely monitored through the Italian Embassy in Beirut and the ministry’s crisis unit.

In a separate statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated Italy's commitment to providing humanitarian support to Lebanon. As announced by Minister Tajani on September 30, the Italian government has pledged €17 million in humanitarian aid to assist those affected by the ongoing conflict.