Western states eye Cyprus, Turkey for Lebanon evacuations as war threat looms

Western nations are considering evacuation plans for their citizens in Lebanon amid concerns of a potential full-scale war with Cyprus and Turkey being discussed as potential safe havens for tens of thousands of people if the conflict escalates.

Cyprus is the closest European Union member state, some 264 km (164 miles) from Lebanon. It has been at the forefront of maritime aid efforts for Gaza and in the past was used to coordinate evacuations from Lebanon.

Cyprus processed around 60,000 people fleeing the Hezbollah-Israel war in 2006, and a potential Israel ground invasion into southern Lebanon with a response from Iran-backed Hezbollah of ballistic missiles and drones could mean mass evacuations from both Lebanon and Israel.

”We have requests from a number of countries, not only from the European Union but also from other third countries. We are ready to play this role in case of a need,” Cyprus’ President Nikos Christodoulides told Reuters on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York.

”We did it back in 2006 and we are ready to do it again,” Christodoulides said. ”It is difficult but also it is our moral responsibility.”

Dimming hopes for a cease-fire, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel will continue striking Hezbollah “with full force” and will not stop until all of its goals are achieved. Israel carried out a new strike in the Lebanese capital, which it said killed a senior Hezbollah commander.

Netanyahu spoke as he landed in New York to attend the annual U.N. General Assembly meeting. At the gathering, U.S. and European officials were putting heavy pressure on both sides to accept a proposed 21-day halt in the fighting to give time for diplomacy to avert a potential all-out war.

Hundreds have been killed in Lebanon this week as Israel dramatically escalated strikes, saying it is targeting Hezbollah’s military capacities. Israeli leaders say they are determined to stop more than 11 months of cross-border fire by the militant group, which has forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of Israelis from communities in the north.

Netanyahu said Israel’s “policy is clear. We are continuing to strike Hezbollah with full force. And we will not stop until we reach all our goals, chief among them the return of the residents of the north securely to their homes.”

With inputs from agencies.