German Air Force evacuates citizens from Lebanon amid rising tensions

Berlin: Germany's Federal Ministry of Defence announced that an Air Force A321 aircraft flew to Beirut to help evacuate German citizens from Lebanon due to growing concerns in the area.

On Monday, the Federal Foreign Office advised all German nationals to leave Lebanon, citing safety risks. They have raised their crisis alert level for embassies in Beirut, Ramallah, and Tel Aviv, though these embassies will continue to operate.

The German Embassy in Beirut remains open, but family members of staff and non-essential workers are being evacuated. Currently, there are about 1,800 registered German citizens in Lebanon, according to a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry.

The embassy is also working with remaining German citizens to arrange their departure through commercial flights and other options. The evacuation flight on Monday will prioritise those facing medical emergencies.

The situation in Lebanon has been serious, with Israel conducting a two-week series of attacks that have resulted in the deaths of around 1,000 Lebanese and forced one million people to flee their homes. Hezbollah has vowed to respond to any Israeli ground invasion.

Agency