Passengers whose flights were cancelled wait at the departure terminal of Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut, Lebanon, on Aug. 5, 2024.Photo by Hussein Malla/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Canada booking seats on flights out of Lebanon as violence escalates

Global Affairs Canada is pre-booking seats to help Canadians, who would be responsible for finding their own way to Canada

by · National Post

OTTAWA — Global Affairs Canada began booking blocks of seats on the few remaining commercial flights leaving Lebanon on Friday as it issued another urgent plea for any Canadians in the country to leave immediately.

“Please prioritize your safety,” Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said in a statement on X Friday afternoon.

Joly and Defence Minister Bill Blair have been asking Canadians in Lebanon to leave for months as fighting between Israel and Hezbollah escalated.

Israel must be 'strongly prepared' for Lebanon ground operations, says defence chiefIsrael Defense Forces Northern Command chief Maj.-Gen. Ori Gordin said on Wednesday that the army needs to be prepared for a potential ground invasion of Lebanon to remove the threat posed by Hezbollah.Jewish News Syndicate, 25 Sep 2024IDF releases evidence of Hezbollah storing rockets in civilian homesThe Israel Defense Forces released video and photographic documentation of how Hezbollah stores munitions inside the homes of civilians in Southern Lebanon, including images of a long-range missile on a hydraulic system in the attic of a home in the village of Houmine al-Tahta.Jewish News Syndicate, 24 Sep 2024