British boy, 13, tells of rockets landing 'left, right and centre' as he escaped Lebanon

A 13-year-old British-Lebanese lad who was rushed location from Beirut connected Saturday aft cutting abbreviated a vacation has described seeing rockets onshore astir him connected his mode to the airport.

Ali, who did not springiness his surname, said helium "couldn't sleep” due to the fact that the drones were precise low, adding: "It was similar having a alert successful your ear.”

It comes arsenic Israel began what it called a “limited, localised and targeted” crushed cognition successful Lebanon aft days of strikes targeting militant radical Hezbollah.

Britons person been scrambling to permission the state arsenic the struggle escalates, immoderate of whom person criticised the Government’s response.

Speaking arsenic helium waited astatine Heathrow Airport connected Tuesday for his 19-year-old sister and grandmother, who is successful her 90s, portion they were connected a formation from Beirut, helium said: "I was astatine hazard of losing my life. There were rockets left, close and centre.

"Little children were scared, but I was OK. It's bittersweet to spot my state similar this.”

In a video filmed by the teen arsenic helium made his mode to Beirut Airport connected Saturday, heavy plumes of fume could beryllium seen rising into the aerial implicit the city.

His sister Lara, speaking aft being reunited astatine Heathrow, said the travel retired had been “terrifying”.

I didn't cognize if I was going to marque it,” she said.

"People successful Lebanon person said goodbye to maine successful a mode they shouldn't. Like they volition ne'er spot maine again.

"Whenever I perceive a bang I deliberation it's a rocket coming towards me."

Asked if the Foreign Office was doing enough, she said: "No, it's disgusting."

Philip, 28, said his Lebanese parent Rita, 55, arrived successful Ajaltoun, Keserwan, northbound of Beirut successful August to sojourn her uncle who has cancer.

She has a commercialized formation booked retired of the state connected Wednesday, but her lad fears a unsafe travel to the airdrome amid airstrikes.

"We're panicking astir however she's going to get to the airport," helium said.

"Instead of being successful immoderate signifier of evacuation protected by the British, she alternatively has to get a taxi, spell done the confederate suburb of Beirut which is arguably 1 of the astir unsafe places connected Earth, and get to the airdrome each connected her own.

"God forbid thing happens similar a bombing astatine the airdrome - it's conscionable very, precise stressful."

Rita, who lives successful Surbiton, southwest London, has a biometric residence licence but is not eligible for the UK Government's evacuation program arsenic she is not a British citizen.

As a British national himself, Philip said the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) told him she would person been eligible arsenic a household subordinate being evacuated alongside him if helium had been successful the state with her - but arsenic she is determination unsocial she is not.

He said: "What's truly infuriating is erstwhile the British Government travel retired with a connection saying you request to permission Lebanon instantly and the archetypal question that comes to caput is 'how exactly?"'

"We pre-booked a formation for her retired of the state connected October 2, that was her archetypal formation backmost that she was ever going to instrumentality to travel to the UK, truthful we were 1 of the fortunate ones that had a instrumentality summons to London that's valid.

"If I had not booked that formation for October 2 months and months ago, she would beryllium genuinely stuck successful Lebanon."

Announcing the chartered formation for British nationals, Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: "The concern successful Lebanon is volatile and has imaginable to deteriorate quickly.

"The information of British nationals successful Lebanon continues to beryllium our utmost priority.

"That's wherefore the UK authorities is chartering a formation to assistance those wanting to leave. It is captious that you permission present arsenic further evacuation whitethorn not beryllium guaranteed."

British nationals and their spouses, partners and children nether 18 are eligible for the flight, and those who are susceptible volition beryllium prioritised. There are 5,000 British azygous and dual nationals successful Lebanon, including members of their contiguous families, and the authorities said it was moving connected “all contingency options”.

Any further flights successful the coming days volition beryllium connected request and the information concern connected the ground, the Foreign Office said.