Western States Consider Lebanon Evacuation Options as Ceasefire Talks Stall – Reuters

By John Irish and Michele Kambas

UNITED NATIONS/NICOSIA – On Thursday, Western nations explored options for safely evacuating their citizens from Lebanon in the event of a full-scale war, with Cyprus and possibly Turkey identified as potential safe havens for tens of thousands.

Cyprus is the closest member of the European Union, approximately 264 km (164 miles) from Lebanon. The island has previously coordinated evacuations and has been active in maritime aid efforts for Gaza.

In 2006, during the Hezbollah-Israel conflict, Cyprus facilitated the processing of around 60,000 individuals fleeing the violence. The current tensions, exacerbated by the potential for an Israeli ground invasion in southern Lebanon and retaliation from Iran-backed Hezbollah, could trigger mass evacuations from both Lebanon and Israel.

Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides acknowledged the country’s preparedness, stating, "We have requests from several countries, including from the European Union and other nations. We are ready to play this role if needed." Reflecting on past experiences, he added, "We did it back in 2006, and we are ready to do it again. It is difficult, but it is our moral responsibility."

Many countries, including the United States, France, Britain, and Germany, have thousands of citizens in Lebanon and have been coordinating plans with Cyprus in anticipation of a potential conflict escalation.

Other nations lacking military infrastructure in the region will also rely on Cyprus for assistance in evacuating their citizens. Travel from Beirut to Cyprus takes about 10 hours by sea or 40 minutes by air. While some commercial flights have continued, others, including Air France, have suspended operations, limiting the options for those wishing to leave.

Despite travel advisories, many Lebanese citizens remain defiant, opting to stay in the country, while others continue to fill flights into Beirut.

At the United Nations in New York, discussions about a temporary ceasefire are ongoing, but neither Israel nor Hezbollah has shown willingness to stop hostilities, with Israel intensifying its strikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs.

Evacuations will heavily depend on the operational capacity of British military bases on the island. Britain, with around 10,000 citizens in Lebanon, confirmed it was relocating troops to Cyprus and had deployed naval ships to assist with evacuations.

Western nations are also collaborating with Turkey to prepare for possible evacuations, which could involve sea transport from the northern Lebanese port of Tripoli to southern Turkey, in the event that Lebanon’s airports remain inaccessible.

As of now, no formal evacuation order has been issued and is unlikely to be sanctioned unless Israel significantly increases its troop presence along the Lebanese border.

France has approximately 20,000 citizens in Lebanon and maintains 1,000 troops as part of a U.N. peacekeeping mission. While the French defense ministry refrained from detailing specific evacuation plans, it confirmed readiness measures have been in place since early October.

European diplomats noted that France has been in contact with the United States, which has around 50,000 citizens in Lebanon, along with Britain and Germany, to coordinate efforts with Cyprus. Although the U.S. has urged its citizens to leave Lebanon, no formal evacuation orders have been issued, and the State Department has not requested military assistance for an evacuation.

U.S. troops recently deployed to the region could play a role in evacuations if necessary. France has a warship stationed nearby capable of evacuating around 150 people, as well as a helicopter carrier that can transport ten times that number, though it would take several days to reach the area from southern France.

Naval forces from France, Cyprus, Greece, and Italy conducted joint drills in the region from September 14-18, focusing on evacuation scenarios, according to the French defense ministry.

A significant challenge for those managing evacuations will be establishing a rapid airlift from Cyprus, given the large influx of people expected on the island.

"The real challenge is that it could take several days, or even weeks, to evacuate most foreign nationals from Lebanon," one European diplomat commented. This situation could leave many residents advised to "hang tight" while tensions escalate overhead.