US citizens seeking to leave Lebanon amid fears of a wider Middle East war were advised to “book any ticket available” to get out.
The US Embassy in Beirut tweeted: “Another reminder that US Embassy Beirut encourages those who wish to depart Lebanon to book any ticket available to them, even if that flight does not depart immediately or does not follow their first-choice route.
“We recommend that US citizens who choose not to depart Lebanon prepare contingency plans for emergency situations and be prepared to shelter in place for an extended period of time.”
The UK has also advised its citizens to leave Lebanon, even if a flight is not directly back to the UK.
More than 3,000 have registered with the Foreign Office, a process which is a first step towards a rescue operation if needed due to the Gaza war escalating into a broader Middle East conflict.
The latest Gaza conflict was triggered by Hamas and other terror groups attacking Israel on October 7, killing around 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages.
Israel responded by invading the besieged strip and around 40,000 people in it have since been killed, according to Palestinian health authorities, the vast majority civilians.
Tensions have spiralled further in the region following Hezbollah top military commander Fuad Shukr being killed in an Israeli strike in Beirut’s southern suburbs and the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
Britain and Egypt asked their airlines on Wednesday to avoid Iranian and Lebanese airspace amid growing fears of a possible broader conflict in the region after the killing of the senior members of terror groups Hamas and Hezbollah.
Britain’s advisory to its airlines to avoid Lebanon’s airspace came hours after Egypt instructed all of its airlines to avoid Iran’s airspace for three hours in the early morning on Thursday.
Many airlines globally are revising their schedules to avoid Iranian and Lebanese airspace while also calling off flights to Israel and Lebanon.
Flights through conflict zones became a prominent industry safety issue a decade ago after Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down over Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board.
Lufthansa has suspended flights to both Tel Aviv and the Lebanese capital Beirut.
US-based United Airlines said on Wednesday its flights to Tel Aviv, which were paused on July 31 due to security concerns, remained suspended. “We continue to closely monitor the situation and will focus on the safety of our customers and crews as we decide when to resume service,” the airline said.
Its rival Delta Air Lines has paused its flights between New York and Tel Aviv through to August 31.
Singapore Airlines stopped flying through Iranian airspace last Friday and is using alternative routes, saying safety is its top priority.
Similarly, Egyptian airlines have already been avoiding Iran’s airspace.
The Israeli military has ordered another mass evacuation in large areas around Khan Younis in southern Gaza, saying its forces will soon operate there in response to Palestinian rocket fire.
Gaza’s second-largest city, Khan Younis suffered widespread destruction during air and ground operations earlier this year.
Israeli forces have repeatedly returned to heavily destroyed areas of Gaza where they had fought earlier battles against Hamas and other militants since the start of the 10-month-old war.
Gaza faces a severe humanitarian crisis with Israeli restrictions on aid and ongoing fighting limiting access to crucial medical, food and other supplies.
