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Britain urges its citizens to leave Lebanon, warning of rapid deterioration risk

9 months ago

Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy leaves 10 Downing Street after attending the weekly Cabinet meeting in London, United Kingdom on July 09, 2024 [Raşid Necati Aslım/Anadolu Agency]

Britain, on Tuesday, urged its citizens in Lebanon to leave the country, warning that tensions along the Israeli border could worsen quickly, Reuters reports.

“There are frequent artillery exchanges and air strikes, tensions are high, and the situation could deteriorate rapidly,” Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, told Parliament.

“I am working with foreign office consular teams to make sure we are prepared for all scenarios, but if this conflict escalates, the government cannot guarantee we will be able to evacuate everyone immediately. People may be forced to shelter in place.”

British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, chaired a meeting of the government’s emergency response committee, known as COBRA, on the matter earlier on Tuesday, Lammy said.

“My message to British nationals in Lebanon is, therefore, quite simple: leave,” Lammy said.

READ: Hezbollah-Israel conflict not inevitable, says US defence secretary

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