Canada booking seats on flights out of Lebanon as violence escalates

OTTAWA — Global Affairs Canada began booking blocks of seats on the few remaining commercial flights leaving Lebanon on Friday as it issued another urgent plea for any Canadians in the country to leave immediately.

“Canadians need to leave now and we are helping with that,” Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said in a statement on X late Friday afternoon.

“Canada has secured seats for Canadians on the limited commercial flights available. If a seat is available, please take it.”

Passengers will pay for the flights themselves, but Joly said loans are available for those who need financial assistance.

Joly and Defence Minister Bill Blair have been asking Canadians in Lebanon to leave for months as fighting between Israel and Hezbollah escalates.

On Thursday, Blair said there were still many commercial flight options available, but by Friday those were quickly filling up.

Global Affairs Canada is taking the step of pre-booking seats to try to help as many Canadians as possible. The flights could be going to any destination, and passengers would be responsible for finding their own way to Canada.

Joly said earlier this week it’s believed about 45,000 Canadians were in Lebanon, even though only about half that number have registered officially with the embassy in Beirut.

Canadians in Lebanon are asked to use the email me-mo.sos@international.gc.ca to get information and secure one of the available seats.

Joly said Canadians should register with the embassy in Beirut and say they want help leaving Lebanon.

The federal government and the military have been working on plans for a possible evacuation of Canadian citizens from Lebanon for months, but the government is urging people to leave on their own before that is needed.

Airlines have begun cancelling flights after an escalation of airstrikes by the Israeli military. Lebanon’s health ministry said Friday more than 720 people have been killed in the last week in airstrikes that Israel said are targeting Hezbollah’s military capabilities to stop its airstrikes into northern Israel.

The most powerful strikes yet destroyed six buildings in suburban Beirut on Friday as the Israeli military said it struck the central headquarters of Hezbollah.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cut short a visit to the United Nations and flew back to Israel after vowing before the General Assembly that Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah would continue despite calls for a ceasefire from allies including the United States and Canada.

All G7 nations, along with Australia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and United Arab Emirates jointly asked Israel and Hezbollah for a 21-day ceasefire to allow for a diplomatic solution to the war.

Joly said she spoke with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati Friday and that “there must be no war” in Lebanon.

“Civilians must be protected and we need an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2024.

— With files from The Associated Press

Mia Rabson, The Canadian Press