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| UK to send hundreds of troops to Cyprus for possible Lebanon evacuation | UK to send hundreds of troops to Cyprus for possible Lebanon evacuation |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| People at the site of an Israeli air strike in Beirut's southern suburbs in Lebanon on Tuesday | People at the site of an Israeli air strike in Beirut's southern suburbs in Lebanon on Tuesday |
| People at the site of an Israeli air strike in Beirut's southern suburbs in Lebanon on Tuesday | People at the site of an Israeli air strike in Beirut's southern suburbs in Lebanon on Tuesday |
| Published1 hour ago | |
| The UK will send hundreds of troops to Cyprus to prepare for the possible evacuation of British nationals from Lebanon, No 10 is expected to announce. | The UK will send hundreds of troops to Cyprus to prepare for the possible evacuation of British nationals from Lebanon, No 10 is expected to announce. |
| Fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah has intensified in recent days and around 10,000 UK nationals are still understood to be living in Lebanon. | Fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah has intensified in recent days and around 10,000 UK nationals are still understood to be living in Lebanon. |
| Britain’s military has been preparing for months for the possibility of an emergency evacuation and the Foreign Office (FCDO) has urged British nationals to leave Lebanon. | Britain’s military has been preparing for months for the possibility of an emergency evacuation and the Foreign Office (FCDO) has urged British nationals to leave Lebanon. |
| Defence Secretary John Healey discussed the situation in the Middle East during a Cobra meeting held on Tuesday. | Defence Secretary John Healey discussed the situation in the Middle East during a Cobra meeting held on Tuesday. |
| Speaking after the Cobra meeting, Healey said: "Our concern is always for the safety of British nationals and our advice to them is to leave Lebanon now, that hasn't changed. | Speaking after the Cobra meeting, Healey said: "Our concern is always for the safety of British nationals and our advice to them is to leave Lebanon now, that hasn't changed. |
| "This was a meeting simply to make sure that we've got plans in place for future developments." | "This was a meeting simply to make sure that we've got plans in place for future developments." |
| Asked if he feared a widening of the conflict, Healey said: "This was just about planning for future developments, our advice hasn't changed. | Asked if he feared a widening of the conflict, Healey said: "This was just about planning for future developments, our advice hasn't changed. |
| "Don't travel to Lebanon and if you're a British national, leave now." | "Don't travel to Lebanon and if you're a British national, leave now." |
| Cobra - or COBR - meetings are named after Cabinet Office Briefing Room A on Whitehall. | Cobra - or COBR - meetings are named after Cabinet Office Briefing Room A on Whitehall. |
| It is an emergency response committee - a get together of ministers, civil servants, the police, intelligence officers and other officials appropriate to the situation they are looking into. | It is an emergency response committee - a get together of ministers, civil servants, the police, intelligence officers and other officials appropriate to the situation they are looking into. |
| A senior military source told the BBC the UK's next steps would depend on what Hezbollah and Israel do next and whether Lebanon's international airport remains open. | A senior military source told the BBC the UK's next steps would depend on what Hezbollah and Israel do next and whether Lebanon's international airport remains open. |
| As well as the RAF airbase at Akrotiri in Cyprus, the Royal Navy has two ships in the eastern Mediterranean – HMS Duncan, a Type 45 Air Defence destroyer and RFA Mounts Bay, a larger supply ship with landing craft. | As well as the RAF airbase at Akrotiri in Cyprus, the Royal Navy has two ships in the eastern Mediterranean – HMS Duncan, a Type 45 Air Defence destroyer and RFA Mounts Bay, a larger supply ship with landing craft. |
| The Royal Navy evacuated British nationals by sea during the Lebanon war in 2006. | The Royal Navy evacuated British nationals by sea during the Lebanon war in 2006. |
| Tensions have been growing across the Middle East since Hamas gunmen attacked Israel on 7 October last year, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 others as hostages. | Tensions have been growing across the Middle East since Hamas gunmen attacked Israel on 7 October last year, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 others as hostages. |
| Previously sporadic fighting between Israel and Hezbollah escalated on 8 October - the day after Hamas's unprecedented attack. Hezbollah fired at Israeli positions, in solidarity with Hamas. | Previously sporadic fighting between Israel and Hezbollah escalated on 8 October - the day after Hamas's unprecedented attack. Hezbollah fired at Israeli positions, in solidarity with Hamas. |
| Hezbollah has launched more than 8,000 rockets at northern Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. It has also fired anti-tank missiles at armoured vehicles and attacked military targets with explosive drones. | Hezbollah has launched more than 8,000 rockets at northern Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. It has also fired anti-tank missiles at armoured vehicles and attacked military targets with explosive drones. |
| Last week Hezbollah’s communication devices started exploding all across Lebanon. | Last week Hezbollah’s communication devices started exploding all across Lebanon. |
| Israel then launched a massive series of air strikes on Monday that have so far killed 560 people according to the Lebanese government. | |
| Last year, the British government helped co-ordinate the evacuation of British nationals from Gaza, with some 200 UK citizens thought to be living in the territory before the war broke out. | Last year, the British government helped co-ordinate the evacuation of British nationals from Gaza, with some 200 UK citizens thought to be living in the territory before the war broke out. |
| Israel's military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 41,000 people since 7 October, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. | Israel's military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 41,000 people since 7 October, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. |
| Related topics | Related topics |
| Middle East | Middle East |
| Israel | Israel |
| Lebanon | Lebanon |