First Brit mercy mission evacuating UK nationals from Lebanon jets out of Beirut amid scramble to flee warzone --[Reported by Umva mag]

A SINGLE plane evacuating Brits has left Beirut as civilians scramble to flee the warzone in Lebanon.

It comes as the Middle East teeters on the brink of all-out war as Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters face off in a bloody showdown.

Reuters

An airplane takes off at Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport as smoke rises over Beirut’s southern suburbs after a strike[/caption]

EPA

Smoke rises as a result of an Israeli airstrike near Maroun El Ras village in southern Lebanon[/caption]

AFP

Firefighters work at the site of an overnight Israeli airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburb of Shayyah[/caption]

AP

An Israeli mobile artillery unit fires a shell from northern Israel towards Lebanon[/caption]

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the first charter flight taking British nationals out of Lebanon has now departed from Beirut.

But it’s understood there was not enough room on the plane for everyone wanting to escape the warzone.

Tensions have hit boiling point after Israel staged a land invasion of Lebanon on Monday and Iran last night launched a barrage of 181 missiles.

Lammy said: “We have arranged another flight for tomorrow, and further flights over the coming days for as long as there is demand and it is safe to do so.”

Brit Isobel Taper, 31, said she grabbed her stuff and “just ran” as blasts rang out close to where she lives.

Taper, who is studying at the American Univerity of Beirut, told Sky News: “Everybody’s been messaging my parents, family, friends… it’s been a lot of people.

“I’ve brought the bare minimum, I just ran, got everything ready and came here.”

Lammy urged British nationals still in Lebanon to register with the Foreign Office and leave the country immediately.

But it is feared flights from the Rafic Hariri international airport may be halted by this weekend.

Defence Secretary John Healey crack British troops were ready to evacuate British nationals from Lebanon if necessary, however.

He said an extra 700 personnel, including soldiers, sailors and aviators, were on standby in the region.

Healey said: “They are ready to go if needed. I have got great confidence in our ability to do the job if required, but for now our govt advice to all Brits in Lebanon is to get out now.

“We have been booking extra seats on commercial flights that are still leaving Beirut airport and today we have booked the first special chartered commercial flight out so those who are wanting to leave and ready to leave and responding to our government urging to leave can do so and continue to do so.”

Asked if Israel’s invasion of Lebanon would see Beirut airport close, he said: “I have made very clear to the Israelis, and I know from having spoken to my US counterpart they are saying the same thing, it is vital that we as nations are able to get our nationals out of Lebanon safely.

“Israel understand that well and we will continue to make that case.”

He added: “Of course the way of avoiding this best is to see a ceasefire in Lebanon and a negotiated settlement along the lines of the UN plan that is on the table now.”

The Israeli military has warned people to evacuate around 50 villages and towns across southern Lebanon as its activities continue.

It comes as Israel today confirmed the first death of a soldier since its troops invaded Lebanon to fight Hezbollah.

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It comes as…

• Palestinian dad is only fatality in Israel from Iran’s blitz
• Israel ‘preparing to blast Iran’s oil fields’ in revenge
• UK helped fend off 181 Iran missile blitz with Typhoon jets
• Middle East on brick of all-out war as Israel vows retaliation
• At least six people shot dead in ‘terror attack’ in Israeli city Tel Aviv
• Elite IDF paratroopers & commando units launch ground invasion of Lebanon
• Israel vows to ‘crush Hezbollah’ after launching ‘Northern Arrows’ invasion
• Israel declares no-go zone for Lebanese civilians south of the Litani River
• UK Government charters emergency flight out of Lebanon for fleeing Brits

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Egoz commando unit member Captain Eitan Itzhak Oster, 22, was killed in an ambush by terrorists in a village in southern Lebanon.

Israeli tanks and troops poured over the northern border into Lebanon earlier this weekend for a much-anticipated showdown with Iran-backed Hezbollah.

The focus of the operation is clearing out Hezbollah terror sites to halt rocket attacks which have driven 60,000 from homes in Northern Israel in the last 11 months, Israeli sources said.

Israel’s military has dubbed the gambit against Iran’s proxy army, which has rained missiles on Israeli homes for nearly a year, Operation Northern Arrows.

A no-go zone has been drawn up for civilians in southern Lebanon, with 26 towns urged to evacuate.

And as tensions flare, Iran last night fired a barrage of 181 missiles into Israel.

Western experts discounted Iran’s claims 90 per cent hit targets and analysts branded the blitz another embarrassing flop and a 320 missile and drone attack in April was also repelled.

Royal Air Force jets that scrambled to help Israel were “ready to engage” but did not need to do so, the UK has revealed.

A pair of Typhoon fighter jets and Voyager refuelling aircraft roared into the skies as Iran prepare to unleash a massive barrage of 182 ballistic missiles last night.

Healey said: “Israel’s own defence dealt with what was a massive missile attack form Iran that I totally condemn.”

Speaking at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, where the RAF jets were based, he said: “UK planes were in the skies.

“They were ready to engage. They did not need to do so.”

He said Britiain’s “biggest concern” was that the conflict would spiral out of control into a bigger regional war.

He insisted the UK jets were “part of an effort to help prevent further escalation and to show the UK’s continuing steadfast support for Isreal’s security.”

He said: “We continue to support steadfast [corr] their right to security but our biggest concern is to avoid this conflict spiralling out of control and into a wider regional war.

“Our view remains, and I made this argument to [Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant], that the best route to scale back the fighting is for a ceasefire in Lebanon and to back a UN plan for a negotiated settlement.

“That is the way we can get Israeli families back into their homes in north Israel and Lebanese families back in to their homes in southern Lebanon.”

But furious Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu warned the terrorist state had made a “big mistake”.

He warned: “There is also a deliberate and murderous hand behind this attack – it comes from Tehran.

“We will stand by the rule we established: whoever attacks us – we will attack him.”

Israel is now planning a major response to last night’s unprecedented Iranian missile attack – likely to hit Iranian oil plants and air defence system.

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