Keir Starmer won't rule out troops on ground in Lebanon to evacuate Brits as he urges de-escalation

Keir Starmer told UK nationals to permission the Middle Eastern state instantly by commercialized flights, with betwixt 4,000 and 6,000 radical inactive believed to beryllium there

Keir Starmer contiguous did not regularisation retired deploying troops connected the crushed successful Lebanon to assistance get Brits to information arsenic helium urged each sides to propulsion backmost from the brink.

The Prime Minister told UK nationals to permission the Middle Eastern state instantly by commercialized flights, with betwixt 4,000 and 6,000 radical inactive believed to beryllium there. Speaking to reporters successful New York, Mr Starmer warned of an "almost hour-on-hour" escalation successful the struggle betwixt Hezbollah and Israel successful Lebanon.

The UK has deployed 700 troops to adjacent Cyprus to assistance with evacuation if necessary. Asked if helium would enactment troops successful information connected the crushed if necessary, the PM said: "I'm not going to get into the details of evacuation plans. As you would expect, we enactment contingency measures successful place.

"But present successful New York, successful the UN General Assembly, I’m being very, precise wide this is simply a unsafe concern present and each parties request to propulsion backmost from the brink, to de-escalate. We request a ceasefire and this needs to beryllium sorted retired by diplomatic means."

He added: "I americium precise acrophobic astir the expanding escalation which is not conscionable time connected day, but astir hr connected hr astatine the moment."

Downing Street said the UK stands acceptable to ramp up contingency plans to get Brits retired if the concern deteriorates.

The PM is utilizing a sojourn to the UN to impulse each sides to travel backmost from the portion amid fears of all-out war. He said: "I telephone connected the Security Council to question governmental solutions that tin interruption repeating cycles of unit similar that successful the Middle East. The portion is astatine the brink.

"We request an contiguous ceasefire betwixt Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah and the implementation of a governmental program which allows Israeli and Lebanese civilians to instrumentality to their homes to unrecorded successful bid and security.

"That information volition travel done diplomacy - not escalation. There is nary subject solution here. Nor is determination a military-only solution to the struggle successful Gaza. This assembly indispensable request - again - an immediate, afloat and implicit ceasefire successful Gaza with the merchandise of each the hostages.

"We request a governmental way to that statement which provides a span to a amended future. A credible and irreversible way towards a viable Palestinian authorities alongside a harmless and unafraid State of Israel. This is the lone mode to supply information and justness for some Israelis and Palestinians."