Activists protest escalating Mideast crisis outside UK base in Cyprus
AKROTIRI, Cyprus (Reuters) - Pro-Palestinian campaigners protested at the gates of RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus on Sunday, accusing Britain of offering tacit support to Israel's ongoing operations in Gaza and elsewhere.
Britons urged to leave Lebanon now – but what are their travel options after most flights cancelled?
As Israel attacks targets in central Beirut, the UK Foreign Office has run the first evacuation fliight from Lebanon to help British citizens, their spouses and children under 18 to leave the country. The plane from Beirut touched down at Birmingham airport on Wednesday evening carrying “more than 150 British nationals and dependents”, according to the Foreign Office.More evacuation flights are planned. The government says they “will continue for as long as the security situation allows”.But the Foreign Office warns: “Do not rely on FCDO being able to evacuate you in an emergency.”It is nine weeks since the...
Plane evacuating Britons from Lebanon lands in UK as blasts heard in Beirut
More British nationals are expected to be airlifted out of Lebanon on Thursday as further blasts hit Beirut.An apparent Israeli airstrike hit an apartment building near the centre of the Lebanese capital on Wednesday, marking the second time Israel has struck the city this week.The airstrike hit not far from the United Nations headquarters, the prime minister’s office and parliament and no warning was issued ahead of the blast, with the number of casualties unclear.A plane charted by the UK Government carrying Britons from Lebanon landed in Birmingham on Wednesday evening with another flight set to depart Beirut on...
Healey visits Cyprus for talks as Middle East crisis deepens
Defence Secretary John Healey is in Cyprus as the Government steps up efforts for a potential evacuation of Lebanon with the Middle East teetering on the brink of wider war.Mr Healey confirmed British forces were involved in efforts to defend Israel from Iran’s ballistic missile barrage as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer warned of the risk of a “miscalculation” after the escalation of violence in the region.It is understood RAF jets were involved in the efforts to intercept the Iranian missiles targeted at Iran.The operation was similar to the role carried out by the UK’s forces when Iran launched...