US Embassy in Lebanon urges Americans there to ‘book any ticket available’ on few remaining departing flights

The U.S. Embassy in Lebanon is warning Americans there to “book any ticket available” on the dwindling number of flights departing the country as fighting between Israel and Hezbollah is rapidly escalating. 

In an alert issued Tuesday, the Embassy said “most airlines have suspended or cancelled flights, and many flights have sold out; however, limited commercial transportation options to leave Lebanon still remain available. 

“We urge those who wish to depart Lebanon to book any ticket available to them, even if that flight does not depart immediately or does not follow their first-choice route,” the Embassy warned. 

“We recommend that U.S. citizens who choose not to depart Lebanon prepare contingency plans for emergency situations and be prepared to shelter in place for an extended period of time,” it added. 

LEBANON BANS PAGERS AND WALKIE-TALKIES ON AIRPLANES FOLLOWING EXPLOSIONS TARGETING HEZBOLLAH TERRORISTS 

The warning comes as the Israeli military and the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah are increasingly trading rocket fire across the Israel-Lebanon border. 

Last week, two days of pager and walkie-talkie explosions targeting members of Hezbollah prompted Lebanese officials to ban the devices from being brought onboard planes departing Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport, according to reports. 

Smoke billows over southern Lebanon during ongoing cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces on Tuesday, Sept. 24. (Reuters/Aziz Taher / Reuters)

The U.S. Embassy in Lebanon, which is located in the country’s capital of Beirut, said Tuesday that “U.S. citizens who lack funds to return to the United States may contact the embassy for financial assistance to purchase tickets via repatriation loans. 

US SENDING MORE TROOPS TO MIDDLE EAST, NETANYAHU WARNS LEBANESE AS ISRAEL-HEZBOLLAH CONFLICT HEIGHTENS 

People walk with their luggage outside Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport on Thursday, Sept. 19. (Reuters/Mohamed Azakir / Reuters)

“U.S. military-assisted evacuations of civilians from a foreign country are rare.  U.S. Citizens should not rely on the U.S. government for assisted departure or evacuation in a crisis,” it also said. “In the case of an evacuation, you may not be able to leave with your extended family, cannot take pets, and will be expected to reimburse the U.S. government for your transportation to a safe location.” 

Airlines have been canceling flights to Lebanon as the security situation there is growing unstable. 

A Lebanese Middle East Airlines plane is parked on the tarmac of Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport, in Beirut, Lebanon, on Tuesday, Sept. 24, (Reuters/Mohamed Azakir / Reuters)

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Lufthansa Group, whose passenger airlines include Lufthansa Airlines, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and Eurowings, told FOX Business last week that “due to the current situation” in the Middle East, “flights to Beirut will be suspended until October 26, 2024.”