Inside ‘Operation Meteoric’ …Britain’s plan to evacuate 10,000 people from Lebanon in ‘Dunkirk-style’ mission

BRITAIN could beryllium acceptable to motorboat Operation Meteoric and evacuate 10,000 citizens from Lebanon arsenic Israel is poised to invade.

Defence chiefs are present moving 700 troops to Cyprus to articulation up with hundreds of British forces already connected the Mediterranean island.

They're preparing for the anticipation of conducting a larger cognition extricating Brits than the evacuation of Kabul successful 2021's Operation Pitting.

Operation Meteoric could spot amphibious troops onshore connected the Lebanese enactment and unafraid a harmless portion for Brits to committee Royal Navy ships.

Israel has been pounding Lebanon for the past fewer days with airstrikes to cripple terror radical Hezbollah.

US officials judge Israel could beryllium acceptable to invade their bluish neighbour arsenic 1 adept says they question to make a "death zone".

The IDF said Wednesday day it had "entered different phase" and participate into "manoeuvre and action".

Two Royal Navy warships person been deployed to the country to articulation up with the vessels already based successful Cyprus.

Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon told The Sun overmuch of however an evacuation played retired depended connected whether Britain had entree to an airport.

He said: "If the airdrome is denied, if it’s attacked, past it would beryllium a overmuch much dilatory process of possibly lifting radical retired successful helicopters.

"In an perfect situation, RAF transport jets would beryllium capable to alert successful and retired of Beirut International Airport and extract radical - you know, it’s a precise abbreviated travel to Cyprus from Beirut, 20 infinitesimal flight, truthful that would beryllium comparatively straightforward."

Chinook helicopters tin lone transport 40 radical astatine a time, truthful UK forces whitethorn person to look astatine a Dunkirk-style h2o evacuation connected ships.

That option, according to de Bretton-Gordon could spot Royal Marines marque amphibious landings connected the Lebanon seashore to unafraid an country and evacuate troops onto the ships.

He said: "The 3rd enactment would beryllium to truly get radical disconnected the beaches into Navy ships.

"So it would beryllium incredibly difficult. I would person to beryllium nether the screen of, I expect, a US and UK aerial defence web with jets covering the retreat."

Operation Meteoric is simply a ngo template and could person been deployed to evacuate Brits astatine different crunch points successful the Middle East crisis.

Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed the subject plans past nighttime arsenic all-out warfare betwixt Hezbollah and Israel loomed.

After chairing a COBRA meeting, helium said: "Events successful the past hours and days person demonstrated however volatile this concern is, which is wherefore our connection is clear, British nationals should permission now.

"We proceed to impulse each sides to measurement backmost from struggle to forestall further tragic nonaccomplishment of life.

"Our authorities is ensuring each preparations are successful spot to enactment British Nationals should the concern deteriorate.

"I privation to convey the British unit who are deploying successful the portion for their committedness and professionalism."

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said today: "I person a precise important connection for British nationals successful Lebanon which is: the clip to permission is now.

"The contingency plans are being ramped up but don't hold for those, determination are inactive commercialized flights.

"It's precise important that they perceive by message, which is to permission and permission immediately."

He added past night: "More broadly, I americium disquieted astir the concern and I deliberation we request to beryllium wide we request de-escalation, we request a ceasefire, we request to propulsion backmost from the brink."

The Lebanese authorities said astir 500,000 radical person been displaced since Israel ramped up its bombing campaign.

Nearly 600 radical person been killed successful the airstikes, including dozens of children.

The US presently has astir 40,000 troops successful the region.

Commercial airlines person besides pulled retired of flying to and signifier Beirut arsenic the country becomes much dangerous.

The Foreign Office has been warning Brits that they should evacuate from the state for days.

Some British nationals successful Lebanon person decided to stay determination - including an unnamed foundation idiosyncratic who said helium felt helium could not wantonness his colleagues.

He said: "I felt it would someway beryllium incorrect to chopped and tally astatine the archetypal infinitesimal erstwhile things spell wrong."