British-Lebanese family trapped in Beirut facing ‘psychological terrorism’

A British-Lebanese pistillate has said her household has faced ‘psychological terrorism’ implicit fears of being bombed successful Lebanon arsenic radical desperately effort to fly the country.

Dalia Rishani, the vice chairwoman of the Center for Lebanese Studies, said immoderate of her British-Lebanese household members – including her parent Rajaa and nine-year-old relative Leila – are stuck successful Lebanon amid the escalating struggle between Israel and Hezbollah successful Lebanon.

Thousands of civilians person been leaving confederate Lebanon arsenic Beirut has been flattened by Israeli strikes, leaving cars and roads covered by the rubble debris of exploded buildings and hundreds killed and 1,000 wounded.

The UK has deployed 700 troops to Cyprus to hole for a imaginable evacuation of thousands of Britons, portion Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has urged Britons to permission immediately.

Mrs Rishani has said portion her brother, Mohamed, managed to get a waitlist spot from Beirut to Jordan this evening [WED], her different household members person struggled to get flights.

The Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport remains open, but galore airlines person cancelled flights, leaving those wanting to permission with constricted options.

One airline, MEA Middle East Airlines, runs flights from Beirut to London – wherever Mrs Rishani lives – nevertheless flights are booked up until adjacent week.

Other airlines meantime person waitlists for flights oregon have temporarily suspended operations.

Mrs Rishani said she tried to interaction the British embassy connected her family’s behalf to spot if they could help, but did not person a response.

She added they are ‘terrified’ of the struggle astir them and portion immoderate are hopeless to leave, immoderate bash not privation to spell arsenic Lebanon is their home.

Others can’t spend the wealth for flights oregon accommodation successful a caller country.

Mrs Rishani told Metro: ‘It is precise scary, they are precise anxious.

‘We person already been reeling from the pager attacks and the walkie talkie attacks. 

‘We person had aerial strikes, we person drones supra america each nighttime truthful radical are not speaking. 

‘There is existent intelligence terrorism, not lone a carnal fearfulness of being bombed.’

Mrs Rishani, who splits her clip betwixt London and Beirut, added she was ‘extremely lucky’ to person caught a pre-booked formation retired of Beirut herself connected September 20 but her different household members person not yet managed to get seats.

Her parent Rajaa and mother-in-law May were some surviving adjacent Beirut’s confederate suburbs but fled to the superior successful caller days.

According to the United Nations, much than 90,000 radical person been displaced by 5 days of Israeli strikes connected Lebanon.

A full of 200,000 radical person been displaced successful Lebanon since Hezbollah began firing rockets into bluish Israel astir a twelvemonth ago, drafting Israeli retaliation.

This week has been the deadliest successful Lebanon since the bruising monthlong warfare betwixt Israel and Hezbollah in 2006.

Mrs Rishani added: ‘There are nary rescue plans from the British embassy. 

‘There is nary motion that a British warship is going to travel to evacuate them.

‘I bash not cognize what it is going to instrumentality for them to rescue the British-Lebanese.’

An Foreign Office spokesperson said: ‘The information of British nationals is our fig 1 precedence and the concern successful Lebanon is profoundly concerning. The ongoing mortar and artillery exchanges and airstrikes means the hazard of escalation remains high. That’s wherefore we are continuing to counsel radical to permission present portion commercialized routes stay available.

‘We are moving successful lockstep with our allies to de-escalate tensions. That’s wherefore the UK has called for an contiguous ceasefire from some sides truthful that we tin get to the governmental colony that’s required – and Israeli and Lebanese civilians tin instrumentality to their homes.’

Metro contacted the British Embassy successful Lebanon for comment.

MORE : British radical told ‘leave Lebanon immediately’ arsenic UK troops amass successful Cyprus

MORE : Israel unleashes leaflets with ‘dangerous barcode that invades phones’ connected Lebanon

MORE : Israel accused of ‘genocide’ aft airstrikes successful Lebanon termination 492 people

This tract is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.