Evacuation efforts are underway to help Australians flee Lebanon, as conflict between invading Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters continues to escalate.
This morning, Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced the Australian government have secured an additional 500 seats for Australian citizens, permanent residents, and their immediate family members on Two Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) flights from Cyprus on Saturday.
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With an estimated 15,000 Australians in Lebanon, Wong said 1700 people have registered their intent to evacuate.
“We have been working this week to secure seats on flights, some seats were secured on Monday and Tuesday, and I can confirm that we have secured 80 seats on flights that are leaving today,” she said.
“Only 35 of those seats have been taken up.”
Calls for evacuation were re-issued earlier this week by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) who described the security situation in Lebanon as “volatile” and in danger of “deteriorating further”.
While commercial flights out of Lebanon continue, DFAT warned cancellations are likely and the airport in Lebanon’s capital, Beirut may shut down altogether.
“The Australian government may not be able to assist you to leave in such circumstances,” their statement said.
Australia’s renewed evacuation plans come after Israel, following a bombardment on Beirut, initiated a land invasion on Lebanon. In retaliation, Iran launched a major missile attack against Israel.
By Ashleigh Wyss, a Master of Journalism student at the University of Melbourne.
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