Britain calls for ceasefire after Israeli strikes in Lebanon

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain on Monday said that all sides should seek de-escalation and a ceasefire after Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon, reiterating that the region needs to pull back from the brink.

"We are ironclad in our support for Israel's right to self-defence," a spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer said. "But our very clear message now is, on all sides, (for) all parties to show restraint."

Israel has hit Lebanon with a two-week wave of attacks, eliminating Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and several commanders but also killing around 1,000 Lebanese and forcing 1 million to flee their homes. Hezbollah has pledged to confront any Israeli ground invasion of Lebanon.

"We want to see all sides step back from the brink," he said. "Any further escalation must be avoided. A ceasefire will provide the space necessary to find the political solution that is necessary to secure peace in the region."

Starmer and other government ministers have also called on British nationals to leave Lebanon on commercial flights while it is still possible.

The spokesperson said that the government was working on all contingency planning needed in relation to the situation in Lebanon.

"What we're focused on at the moment is securing extra spaces on commercial flights for those who do want to leave, and obviously reiterating our calls for those (people) to leave and to register their presence with us and book the first available flights," he said.

(Reporting by Alistair Smout; editing by William James and Kate Holton)