Australia has arranged hundreds of airline seats for its citizens wishing to leave Lebanon, according to Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who urged the thousands of Australians still in the country to depart while they have the chance.
A total of 580 seats on flights scheduled for Thursday and Saturday have been secured for citizens, permanent residents, and their families wanting to leave Lebanon, Wong announced at a press conference. Earlier in the week, additional flights were also organized.
Approximately 1,700 Australians and their families have expressed their intent to leave Lebanon to the government, Wong noted. Australia has a significant Lebanese community, with around 15,000 Australians typically residing in Lebanon, based on information from the foreign ministry.
Wong emphasized the urgency of the situation, saying, “Please take whatever option is available to you. Now is not the time for you to wait and see, now is the time to leave.”
The Australian government has been advising its citizens and permanent residents to exit Lebanon for weeks due to the challenges posed by the large number of Australians in the country, which would complicate a government-coordinated evacuation.
The flights to Cyprus on Saturday hinge on the Beirut airport remaining operational, Wong stated. She expressed concern over the potential escalation of the situation, stating that if Beirut airport were to close, the options for departure would further diminish.
While Australia has dispatched military aircraft to Cyprus as a backup plan, the focus remains on commercial flights as long as Beirut airport remains open, according to the foreign minister. Wong also reiterated her support for a U.S.-backed ceasefire plan in Lebanon aimed at ending the cycle of violence, although Israel has rejected this proposal.