Western countries are updating contingency plans for organizing evacuations from Lebanon after a sharp escalation in border warfare between Israel and the Lebanese armed movement Hezbollah.
Cyprus, the closest European Union member state to the Middle East, is a likely hub for evacuations, having processed around 60,000 people fleeing the Hezbollah-Israel war in 2006. Neighbouring Turkey has offered facilities as well.
No country has activated a large-scale military evacuation yet, though some are chartering aircraft to assist in their nationals leaving as Beirut airport remains open. There have also been plans to evacuate by sea to Cyprus, enabling the movement of larger groups of people at a time.
Here are details on contingency planning:
Australia
Authorities have made contingency plans that could include evacuation by sea, though it has urged an estimated 15,000 of its citizens in Lebanon to leave while Beirut airport remains open.
Belgium
Belgium’s foreign ministry advises Belgian citizens to leave Lebanon as soon as …