Israel-Lebanon latest: Calls for UK evacuation flights grow as hopes for ceasefire fade and strikes continue
Benjamin Netanyahu is coming under mounting international pressure as he prepares to address the UN General Assembly on Friday
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As Israeli airstrikes continue to pound Lebanon and ceasefire hopes dwindle, British nationals stranded under bombardment are urging the UK government to send evacuation flights.
Despite a directive from the prime minister to “leave immediately” Britons speaking with the media say all commercial flights are sold out and are pleading for safe routes to leave.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says talks for a ceasefire in Lebanon will continue as he prepares to address the UN General Assembly on Friday — with Western leaders pushing for a deal before his speech.
But hopes for a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, driven by a US-led initiative, have faded following conflicting statements from Netanyahu. Despite early optimism for a pause in hostilities, Netanyahu’s comments—first supporting then tempering expectations—mirror his previous mixed messaging on Gaza.
The situation deteriorated further on Friday, with Israeli strikes killing a family of nine in a Lebanese border village and exchanges of cross-border missile fire continuing.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer strengthened calls for a temporary ceasefire in his address to the UN last night, with the UK, US and the EU proposing an immediate 21-day pause in fighting “to provide space for diplomacy towards the conclusion of a diplomatic settlement”.
Britain joins US, France and allies in call for 21-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah
Britons urged to leave Lebanon now – but what are their travel options after most flights cancelled?
Jordan travel: Is it safe to travel right now, and what are your rights if you have a trip booked?
Netanyahu orders Israeli military to fight Hezbollah with full force – despite ceasefire push
Houthi rebels fire ballistic missile at Tel Aviv
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis said on Friday they had targeted Israel’s cities of Tel Aviv and Ashkelon with a ballistic missile and a drone in support of Gaza and Lebanon.
The Israeli army said it had intercepted a missile that was fired from Yemen after sirens and explosions were heard early in the day.
The Houthi‘s military spokesperson said their operations won’t halt in the coming days until Israel’s offensives in Gaza and Lebanon stop.
“We will carry out more military operations against the Israeli enemy in victory for the blood of our brothers in Palestine and Lebanon,” Yahya Sarea said in a televised speech.
Israel will ‘increase’ its attacks on Lebanon
The Israeli army will continue to hit Lebanon “very hard”, defence minister Yoav Gallant has said.
He made the comments during a visit to Safed in northern Israel, saying the strikes would continue until security was returned to the north, The Times of Israel has reported.
These remarks are about the 60,000 people who have been evacuated from northern Israel because of near-daily attacks by Iran-backed Hezbollah in neighbouring Lebanon.
Mr Gallant said: “We are hitting Hezbollah very hard over the past year and in particular over the past few weeks. We will continue and increase this effort — we plan to bring security to the town in the north and to safely return home those who evacuated.”
I have approved the next set of operations that will be executed by the IDF in the northern arena. We continue to eliminate Hezbollah terrorists, dismantle offensive infrastructure, and destroy rockets and missiles.
— יואב גלנט - Yoav Gallant (@yoavgallant) September 26, 2024
The missions ahead of us are clear, and we are determined to… pic.twitter.com/K4jqdN4kXn
British defence secretary reaffirms calls for Britons to leave Lebanon
The UK’s defence secretary has reaffirmed calls for Britons to leave Lebanon as he is “deeply worried” about the conflict.
Speaking with Sky News, John Healey said they fear the conflict could escalate into something “much wider and much more serious”.
He said: “Our first concern remains the safety of British nationals in Lebanon. The travel advice remains the same. Don’t go to Lebanon. If you are in Lebanon, then get out. And there are still commercial flights leaving, so people can do that.”
25 people killed in strikes today, health minister says
Lebanon‘s health minister says 25 people have been killed so far in Israeli strikes on Friday, according to Reuters.
UK supporting humanitarian response in Lebanon with UNICEF donation
The UK is providing £5 million to UNICEF in Lebanon to support humanitarian response efforts and enable UNICEF to distribute supplies to those in need.
The essential humanitarian support comes after further civilian casualties following this week’s air strikes. Thousands more have been displaced or forced to flee their homes.
The package includes essential medical supplies, hygiene kits and fuel for water stations, to help thousands of displaced civilians across Lebanon meet their basic needs.
It will also help emergency teams respond to urgent health and nutrition needs and provide a series of training sessions for key delivery partners and frontline workers to ensure an effective emergency response.
Today we are providing £5 million to @UNICEFLebanon to support the urgent humanitarian response in Lebanon.
— Hamish Falconer MP (@HFalconerMP) September 25, 2024
The number of civilian casualties is unacceptable and the UK is deeply concerned by the surge in numbers of displaced people.
An immediate ceasefire is essential. pic.twitter.com/xuDh0nzOdP
Beirut soup kitchen struggles to keep up as Israeli strikes intensify
Chains of volunteers spoon rice and vegetables into meal containers while others stir huge pots of boiling rice, as a soup kitchen in Beirut struggles to keep up with demand from displaced people escaping Israeli strikes.
Josephine Abu Abdo, a chef and one of the founders of Nation Station, said the kitchen is serving 700 meals a day and is at maximum capacity, but she then hears 1,000 meals are needed.
“The challenge is that we can’t keep up. We feel like we are just a drop in the ocean,” Abu Abdo said, while a team of volunteers of different ages from all over Lebanon hurriedly packaged up food.
Nation Station was founded to help victims of the devastating 2020 Beirut port explosion, growing from a team of five to a hundred over time. It serves some traditional Lebanese dishes, such as zucchini stuffed with rice and meat, bulgur and tomato, vegetable soup and cabbage salad.
When the Israeli strikes across Lebanon intensified on Monday, forcing around 40,000 into shelters within days, the volunteers cooked more food without any funding, distributing it as an emergency response to the centres housing the displaced.
“We worked from the small savings that we had for the first three days. Then, many people started donating,” Abu Abdo said.
“The donation that we receive will cover us for two or three days. We will see, one day at a time and we will make a decision,” she added.
Over 30,000 crossed into Syria from Lebanon in past days, says UN
More than 30,000 people, mainly Syrians, have crossed into Syria from Lebanon in the past 72 hours, the UN refugee agency said on Friday, amid an escalating conflict between Israeli forces and the heavily armed Hezbollah that has left hundreds dead in Lebanon.
‘Unacceptable’ rise in attacks on health care, says WHO
Lebanon’s World Health Organisation (WHO) representative has slammed the attacks on healthcare facilities as “unacceptable.”
Posting on X, Abdinasir Abubakar said 27 health workers have been killed and 55 injured by recent Israeli strikes, adding that health care sites “should be protected at all times”.
He wrote: “Attack on health care is on the rise as the crisis in Lebanon continued to escalate in recent days.”
Attack on health care is on the rise as the crisis in Lebanon continued to escalate in recent days. 24 attacks on health care were recorded so far, resulting in 27 deaths & 55 injuries for health workers
— Abdinasir Abubakar (@abdinasirgole) September 27, 2024
This is unacceptable trend, & health care should be protected at all times pic.twitter.com/MG1k49PnpT
Family of nine, including pregnant mother, killed in strike
An Israeli strike on Friday killed nine members of a family, including four children and a pregnant mother, in the Lebanese border town of Shebaa, mayor Mohammad Saab told Reuters.
Philippines will evacuate its citizens if Israel invades Lebanon
The Philippines says it will evacuate 11,000 citizens from Lebanon the moment Israeli forces cross the border and launch a ground offensive, The Times of Israel has reported.
“A ground invasion will lead to mandatory repatriation,”
Foreign Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega reportedly said at a press conference in Manila: “A ground invasion will lead to mandatory repatriation.” He said the plan would be to move thousands out of the country via the sea without providing further details.
More than 33,000 Filipino citizens were living in Lebanon as of January 2020, according to the Philippines‘ Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
📣 ADVISORY 📣
— Philippine Embassy in Lebanon (@PHLinLebanon) September 23, 2024
Filipino nationals residing in Lebanon are advised to remain vigilant and stay informed, following recent hostilities in South Lebanon. Please reach out to the Embassy for any concerns.
READ: https://t.co/CIsl5Pub9f
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