Keir Starmer urges 10,000 Brits to leave Lebanon 'immediately' as UK troops sent to Cyprus

The Labour leader has said that around 10,000 British nationals should leave Lebanon immediately as the UK steps up plans to evacuate Brits from the country amid fears of all-out war with Israel

Keir Starmer has urgently advised up to 10,000 Brits to leave Lebanon immediately amid escalating tensions and fears of a potential conflict with Israel. The UK is bolstering its military presence in Cyprus by deploying hundreds more troops, as part of an urgent plan to evacuate British nationals from the Middle Eastern country, reports the Mirror.

On his way to the UN General Assembly in New York, the PM told reporters: "The most important message from me this evening is to British nationals in Lebanon, to leave immediately and I just want to reinforce that. Yes, we are ramping up the contingency plans, I think that you would expect that in light of the escalation.

"But it is important that we be really, really clear: now is the time to leave. More broadly, I am worried about the situation and I think we need to be clear: we need de-escalation, we need a ceasefire, we need to pull back from the brink."

Approximately 700 UK soldiers are set to be dispatched to Cyprus, with some understood to have been sent overnight, following significant recent escalations in the conflict. Yesterday, Lebanon's health ministry said Israeli airstrikes killed at least 492 people - including 35 children - as the nation warned it will do "whatever is necessary" to push militant group Hezbollah back from the Israel border.

Defence Secretary John Healey made an abrupt return from the Labour conference in Liverpool on Tuesday for critical discussions, as the Government hastens to prevent a repeat of last year's chaotic evacuation from Afghanistan, where UK citizens and Afghan allies fled the advancing Taliban.

British nationals in Lebanon are being strongly advised to exit the country while commercial flights remain, with the UK Government putting RAF aircraft and transport helicopters on alert for urgent evacuations. Defence Secretary Mr Healey commented recently: "Events in the past hours and days have demonstrated how volatile this situation is, which is why our message is clear, British nationals should leave now. We continue to urge all sides to step back from conflict to prevent further tragic loss of life."

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"Our government is ensuring all preparations are in place to support British Nationals should the situation deteriorate. I want to thank the British personnel who are deploying in the region for their commitment and professionalism."

The UK's current military presence in proximity includes RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus and Royal Navy vessels in the Eastern Mediterranean such as RFA Mounts Bay and HMS Duncan. Military operations will receive backing from Border Force and Foreign Office officials.

The Prime Minister is set to engage with international counterparts at the UN General Assembly in New York come Wednesday, with pressing issues like Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan on the diplomatic table.

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