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The UK has chartered a flight to leave Beirut聽on Sunday聽(6 Oct)聽as tensions in the region escalate.

There are no more scheduled flights, due to a decrease in demand. However, the situation will be kept under constant review.聽

Any聽remaining British nationals who want to leave Lebanon are聽urged to register聽with the聽government聽immediately.

The government has been advising British nationals to leave Lebanon since October last year due to a deteriorating security situation.聽So聽far 3 chartered flights organised by the government have left Beirut,聽with a fourth to leave on Sunday.聽

The government added the extra capacity due to high demand for聽places on commercial flights and聽has enabled more than 250 additional people to leave in the last week.

The government聽committed to charter flights as long as there was demand and the security situation allows. However, demand has now significantly reduced, and聽this Sunday鈥檚聽flight is currently the only one scheduled.

Any British nationals who have not booked a place and still wish to secure a seat on the flight are聽.

British nationals and their spouse or partner, and children under the age of 18 are eligible. All passengers must hold a valid travel document.

Dependants who are not British nationals will require a valid visa that has been granted for a period of stay in the UK of more than 6 months.聽聽

UK government officials have been working round the clock in London, Beirut and the wider region to provide support to British nationals. An FCDO Rapid Deployment Team has also arrived in Lebanon to bolster the support offered by British Embassy officials.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said:聽

The situation in Lebanon remains volatile,聽so I am glad that we have helped the many people who have heeded our advice to leave the country immediately.

With demand falling, and the security situation deteriorating, there is no guarantee other options to leave聽quickly聽will become available. I urge anyone who wants to leave to register now.聽

Sunday鈥檚 flight will depart from Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport and British nationals who have registered their presence with the government will be sent details on how to request a seat.聽聽聽聽

British nationals and their dependants should not travel to the airport unless they have a seat booked on a plane.聽

The FCDO urges everyone to continue to follow the relevant travel advice, exercise caution, and monitor media in Lebanon for developments.聽聽聽聽聽

The safety of British nationals is the top priority and around 700 troops and Foreign Office and Home Office staff, including Border Force officers, have been deployed to Cyprus for contingency planning.

The UK continues to call for a ceasefire between Lebanese Hizballah and Israel. A ceasefire would provide the space necessary to find a political solution that enables civilians on both sides to return to their homes in safety.聽聽聽聽

Background

• British nationals and dependants will be eligible to request a space on the flight. Any non-British dependants will require a visa to enter the UK, granted for a period of stay in the UK of longer than 6 months, in line with usual immigration rules and entry process聽聽

• the FCDO launched the on Wednesday 25 September 2024聽聽聽聽

• a limited number of commercial flights are still operating and the FCDO has been working with partners to increase capacity to enable British nationals to leave聽聽

• the FCDO has been advising British nationals to leave Lebanon since October 2023