UK to charter flights to get Britons out of Israel after Iran strikes

Britain is working to arrange evacuation flights out of Tel Aviv as fighting between Israel and Iran enters a second week despite hundreds of people killed.

Thousands of British nationals are understood to be stranded after Israel shut its airspace hours after launching a major attack on Iran last Friday.

All airports were closed – including for incoming flights – leaving tourists with no choice but to wait for their governments to step in.

So far, evacuations have only been possible by land, through Jordan and Egypt, and via the sea, to Cyprus.

The UK Foreign Office has now urged the remaining British nationals in Israel to register their presence with them as it prepares charter flights.

Downing Street is working with the Israeli authorities to arrange transport out of the region as the crisis only deepens.

A spokesperson said this morning that the situation remains ‘fast-moving’ and would continue to be monitored closely.

They added: ‘We are advising British nationals to continue to register their presence in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, to be contactable with further guidance on these flights.

‘The Foreign Secretary will shortly announce that the government is working with the Israeli authorities to provide charter flights from Tel Aviv airport once airspace reopens.’

Foreign secretary David Lammy said work was under way to provide the flights ‘based on levels of demand’ from UK citizens when the airspace reopens.

Land routes out of Israel remain open and British staff are on hand to support nationals who have crossed the border, he added.

Some governments are using land borders to get their citizens out by road to countries where airports remain open.

Foreign nationals from Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, France, Germany, the Czech Republic and others have been evacuated both from Israel and Iran.

The EU has helped evacuate some 400 people from Israel via Jordan and Egypt as part of its efforts to coordinate an emergency response within the 27-nation bloc.

‘Member states coordinate the list and we co-finance these flights up to 75% of the transport costs,’ European Commission spokesperson Eva Hrncirova told a regular press conference in Brussels on Wednesday.

Hrncirova said the EU was fielding requests by Slovakia, Lithuania, Greece, and Poland for assistance with Middle East evacuations.

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