Good Morning Britain made way for some breaking news just minutes into the show.
ITV correspondent Jonathan Swain announced the breaking news on Tuesday morning (October 1) followingthe attacks on Beirut in Lebanon. Hosts Susanna Reid and Ed Balls went to Jonathan at the Foreign Office, where he announced it had been a “brutal night” in the Lebanese capital.
As a “Breaking News” banner flashed up on the screen, he said: “It has been a brutal night in Beirut of intense fighting and air strikes. It is thought as many as five thousand British nationals are still in the country but the options for them getting out are now diminishing day by day.”
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“Many commercial flights have had to be grounded or cancelled because of what’s happening in the air and the intense fighting so the British government have now chartered their own flights.”
(Image: (Image: ITV))
He added: “Tomorrow they will fly from Beirut to Birmingham, we understand. There’s limited space, of course, for British nationals and, of course, their dependents, and their families. They are being charged £350 per seat.”
Jonathan explained that a force of 700 British soldiers are on stand-by following the unrest. He said: “Last week, their rapid reaction force of 700 troops, they’re currently being based in a RAF base in standby.
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
“They are there should they be needed to operate a Dunkirk-style evacuation. But having British troops in that region with all that intense fighting comes with its risks.”
Israeli troops have invaded Lebanon, calling it a “limited, localised and targeted” ground operation. Lebanese officials say over 1,000 people have died in the past two weeks, with up to a million now displaced.
It was announced that British nationals and their spouses or partners, and children under 18, would be prioritised for the flights, reports the Express. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: “The situation in Lebanon is volatile and has potential to deteriorate quickly. The safety of British nationals in Lebanon continues to be our utmost priority.”
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“That’s why the UK government is chartering a flight to help those wanting to leave. It is vital that you leave now as further evacuation may not be guaranteed.”
The flight is due to leave Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport on Wednesday (2 October). The government said that those who had registered their presence with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) would be contacted on how to request a seat. They urged those who hadn’t registered their presence to do so straight away.
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