UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has once again urged British citizens to leave Lebanon "immediately" amid escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.
Starmer, who is attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York, reiterated his call for both sides to cease hostilities.
On Wednesday, Hezbollah launched a ballistic missile at Tel Aviv following Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon. In response, Israel's military announced the activation of its reserve brigades.
Expressing concern, Starmer said, "I am very worried about the escalation. I'm calling for all parties to step back from the brink and de-escalate. We need a ceasefire so this can be resolved diplomatically."
Starmer emphasized the urgency for British nationals to leave Lebanon, noting that commercial flights are still available. "The time to leave is now. The contingency plans are being ramped up, but don't wait for those," he added.
In preparation for a potential evacuation, British troops have been stationed in Cyprus as the government formulates plans to assist its citizens in leaving Lebanon safely.
The missile launched from Lebanon on Wednesday triggered air raid sirens in Tel Aviv and central Israel, although no casualties or damage were reported, according to the Associated Press. Israel retaliated by striking the launch site in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah claimed responsibility for firing the Qader 1 ballistic missile, targeting Israel's Mossad intelligence agency, which it accuses of orchestrating recent attacks against its commanders and a deadly bombing last week. The Israeli military stated this was the first time a missile fired from Lebanon had reached central Israel. Photo by marviikad, Wikimedia commons.