Foreign Secretary David Lammy has reiterated calls for Britons in Lebanon to leave as he said that the Government will do “all that we can” to assist people in fleeing.

Fears of a wider conflict are growing after strikes in Lebanon by Israel killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and many other top commanders.

Speaking to broadcasters on Monday evening, Mr Lammy warned that the situation on the ground is “fast moving”.

Mr Lammy said that he had spoken to US secretary of state Antony Blinken and said they both agreed that “the best way forward is an immediate ceasefire”.

Asked about advice he may have for Britons who are in Lebanon, he said: “We will do all that we can to assist people to get out and we have secured places on commercial flights that are flying tomorrow so that UK nationals can get out.

“I urge them to leave because the situation on the ground is fast moving.”

He added: “And of course, whilst we will do everything we can to protect British nationals – and those plans are in place to do so – we cannot anticipate the circumstances and the speed with which we could do that if things escalate in a major way over the coming hours and days.”

Earlier on Monday Downing Street said that the UK Government is doing “everything we can” to help Britons flee.

Mr Lammy chaired a ministerial meeting of the Cobra emergency committee on Monday to discuss the crisis.

There are an estimated 5,000 British citizens in Lebanon and the Government says it is working on “all contingency options”.

British military assets have been deployed to Cyprus and the eastern Mediterranean in case an evacuation is required, although ministers and officials have stressed that Britons should leave immediately.

A map of the Middle East
(PA Graphics)

On Monday, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said Sir Keir Starmer has been “very, very clear” that British nationals “should leave now, particularly whilst commercial flights are still available”.

The spokesman told reporters: “We’re doing everything we can to work with commercial airlines to maximise capacity because we want people to leave, and I understand that there have been extra Middle East Airlines flights leaving Lebanon over the weekend, another scheduled for Tuesday, and we have secured seats for British nationals on those flights.”

It is understood around 15 spaces for British nationals were secured on a flight which arrived on Sunday, and a further 40 on the flight due to leave on Tuesday.

The spokesman said that the focus is on “securing extra spaces on commercial flights for those who do want to leave and reiterating our calls for those to leave and to register their presence with us and book the first available flights.”

Meanwhile, the families of Israeli hostages kidnapped on October 7 have said that the UK Government “must do more” to help bring them home.

Speaking at a press conference, relatives said that a deal must be struck urgently with Hamas to bring people home.

During a meeting with Sir Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary David Lammy on Monday, the Prime Minister agreed that the hostages must be freed and returned immediately, the conference was told.

Sharone Lifschitz, whose parents Yocheved and Oded Lifschitz were kidnapped, said she felt “encouraged” by the meeting, but urged the Government to do more.

“They listened carefully to what we said,” she said. “But I think the British Government can and should do more.

“They must treat (the hostages) as if they are their own.”