Countries implement emergency evacuation plans for citizens in Lebanon
Shafaq News/ Countries around the world have devised emergency plans to evacuate their citizens from Lebanon following intensified fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.
While no large-scale military evacuations have been conducted yet, several nations are organizing charter flights to assist their citizens in leaving, and some are making their own departure arrangements, as Reuters reported.
Australia
Authorities have provided hundreds of flight seats for Australians to leave Lebanon, and a military aircraft has been sent to Cyprus as part of the emergency plan. The plan may include sea evacuations, but Australians—estimated at around 15,000 in Lebanon—are urged to leave via air while Beirut's airport remains open.
Belgium
The Belgian Foreign Ministry has advised its citizens to leave Lebanon as soon as possible, according to the Belgian news agency Belga.
Brazil
Brazil has dispatched an Airbus A330 from its air force to bring home Brazilians who wish to leave Lebanon. The government estimates that 3,000 Brazilians want to return. The plane is set to depart Beirut with 220 passengers on Friday, with two flights scheduled weekly.
China
According to China's Xinhua news agency, the government has safely evacuated more than 200 Chinese citizens.
Canada
Canadian news outlets reported that Canada will cooperate with Australia on sea evacuations. The Toronto Star mentioned a plan to charter a commercial ship capable of transporting 1,000 people daily.
Cyprus
Cyprus evacuated 38 of its citizens from Beirut on Thursday aboard a plane provided by Greece. The number of Cypriots in Lebanon is estimated to be between 1,000 and 1,500.
Denmark
The Danish Foreign Ministry has urged its citizens to leave Lebanon quickly but has not yet initiated an evacuation as commercial flights are still departing. Lebanon’s Middle East Airlines is adding flights to meet the increased demand.
France
France has not yet issued an evacuation order but has had plans in place for several months. Current plans focus on Cyprus and Beirut’s airport, with consideration also given to evacuations via Turkiye. France has a warship in the region, and a helicopter carrier is expected to arrive in the eastern Mediterranean to prepare for potential evacuations.
Germany
Germany’s Foreign Ministry announced it would evacuate another 219 German citizens from Lebanon on Friday. The country is also continuing to evacuate non-essential staff, embassy workers’ families, and medically vulnerable citizens while supporting others seeking to leave.
Greece
Greece evacuated 22 citizens on Thursday, along with some Cypriots. The Greek Foreign Ministry has advised citizens to leave Lebanon and avoid traveling there. A frigate is on standby in case assistance is needed.
Italy
Italy has reduced its diplomatic staff and increased security at its embassy in Beirut. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has repeatedly urged Italians to leave Lebanon and has sought guarantees from Israel for the safety of Italian troops participating in peacekeeping missions in the region.
Japan
Japan sent two C-2 military transport planes to Lebanon on Thursday, ready to evacuate Japanese citizens. Between 40 to 50 Japanese nationals are believed to be in Lebanon.
Netherlands
The Dutch Ministry of Defense announced plans to send a military plane to evacuate its citizens from Lebanon, with two flights scheduled on October 4 and 5. The flights to Eindhoven Air Base will also be available to citizens of other countries if there are enough seats.
Poland
A plane carrying dozens of Poles and other nationals landed in Warsaw on Friday. Poland had previously announced it would reduce its embassy staff in Beirut.
Portugal
Prime Minister Luís Montenegro advised against traveling to Lebanon. Portugal has assisted in evacuating a small number of Portuguese citizens residing in Lebanon.
Romania
Romania’s Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense evacuated 69 citizens from Lebanon on a military plane on Thursday. The Foreign Ministry had earlier reported that over 1,100 Romanian citizens and their families had registered their presence in Lebanon.
Russia
Russia has begun evacuating its citizens from Lebanon, with a special flight departing Beirut on Thursday carrying family members of the diplomatic mission. TASS reported that around 3,000 Russians and citizens of other CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries are seeking to leave Lebanon.
Slovakia
Slovakia plans to send a military plane to evacuate its citizens and nationals from other countries to Cyprus.
Spain
Spain intends to send two military planes to evacuate up to 350 Spanish nationals from Lebanon.
Turkiye
Turkiye’s Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday that it is prepared to carry out a potential evacuation of Turkish citizens from Lebanon by air and sea. Turkiye is also working with approximately 20 other countries on potential evacuations of foreign nationals through Turkish territory. There are around 14,000 Turks registered with the consulate in Lebanon, although this number is not certain.
United Kingdom
The British government organized limited charter flights to help citizens leave Lebanon and reiterated its advice for them to leave immediately. More than 150 Britons and their families departed Beirut on a government-chartered flight on Wednesday. The UK has deployed around 700 troops to Cyprus to bolster its presence in the region, where it already has military assets, including two Royal Navy ships.
United States
The US deployed dozens of troops to Cyprus to prepare for any possible scenarios, including the evacuation of Americans from Lebanon. The State Department announced on Tuesday that it is working with airlines to increase the number of flights out of Lebanon, offering more seats to US citizens.
