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Australians urged to leave Lebanon in flight seats secured by govt
BEIRUT — The death toll from Israeli airstrikes on different areas in Lebanon over the past 24 hours reached 46 while injuries stood at 85, the Lebanese Health Ministry reported.
The ministry said that five people were killed and five others injured in the Baalbek-Hermel governorate, while 23 people were killed and 41 others wounded in the Nabatieh governorate.
It added that 11 people were killed and 21 others wounded in the South governorate, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Bekaa region saw six deaths and 17 injuries, while one person was killed and another wounded in Mount Lebanon, the ministry said.
Since September 23, the Israeli army has been launching an unprecedented, intensive air attack on Lebanon in a dangerous escalation with Hezbollah.
Hezbollah and the Israeli army have been exchanging fire across the Lebanese-Israeli border since October 8, last year, amid fears of a broader conflict as the war between Hamas and Israel continues in the Gaza Strip.
Also read: Nasrallah’s son-in-law killed in Israeli airstrike in Syria — Monitor
Canberra — The Australian government has secured over 500 seats on flights for Australians to leave Lebanon.
Penny Wong, the minister for Foreign Affairs, on Thursday, said that the government will offer 500 seats on two commercial flights out of Beirut to Cyprus for Australian citizens, permanent residents and their immediate family members on Saturday on top of 80 seats on flights on Thursday.
She said that 1,700 Australians in Lebanon had registered their intent to depart from Lebanon with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade but that only 35 out of 80 seats secured by the government on commercial flights on Thursday had been filled.
"The operation of these flights will be subject to the security situation and, of course, the airport in Beirut remaining open," Wong told reporters, reported.
"What I would say to Australians who wish to leave, please take whatever option is available to you. Please do not wait for your preferred route."
"Now is not the time for you to wait and see. Now is the time to leave," she said.
The federal government has repeatedly advised all Australians in Lebanon to leave immediately and warned that the Beirut airport could close amid the escalating conflict in the region.
The minister for housing, Clare O'Neil, on Wednesday said that there are approximately 15,000 Australians still in Lebanon and that the government is doing what it can to assist them.
Wong said on Thursday that Royal Australian Air Force aircraft have been stationed in Cyprus as part of contingency plans to evacuate Australians from Lebanon but that the government's focus is on commercial flights while Beirut airport remains open.