The Department of Foreign Affairs has advised Irish citizens to leave Lebanon.
The advice comes as MEA moved aircraft from Lebanon for insurance purposes, reducing some departure options for foreign nationals wishing to leave. MEA serves 30 destinations year round from Beirut. The airport is used by 45 airlines in all, serving 86 year-round and 24 seasonal destinations.
The Department had previous advised against all travel to Lebanon or Israel. Egypt and Jordan remain on Level 3, “high degree of caution.”
https://www.dfa.ie/travel/travel-advice/a-z-list-of-countries/lebanon/
A statement said:
The Department strongly advises all Irish citizens currently in Lebanon to leave now while commercial options remain available.
Owing to the ongoing conflict in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt), the situation in Lebanon remains highly volatile. In light of the unpredictability of the situation, events could escalate with very little warning. This could affect exit routes out of Lebanon.
Citizens should be aware that, in the event that the political or security situation deteriorates, we are likely to be very limited in the assistance that we can provide. Citizens should not rely on evacuation options being possible if commercial options become unavailable.
If for any reason you cannot leave Lebanon now, we would advise you to exercise extreme caution in your movements and put contingency plans in place to leave Lebanon as soon as possible.
Citizens should also ensure their documentation, including passports, is up-to-date.
If you are an Irish citizen with a family member who requires a visa for travel to Ireland, an application for a visa to enter Ireland should be made online without delay at
Once submitted, an appointment should be made with Ireland’s Honorary Consulate: Tel: + 961 139 5005/ karen.mokdad@honoraryconsul.ie.
Citizens should avoid all gatherings and demonstrations, remain vigilant and follow the instructions of local authorities.
As we do not have an Irish Embassy in Beirut, we advise Irish citizens in Lebanon who have not already done so to register with the Embassy of Ireland in Cairo.
https://www.dfa.ie/irish-embassy/egypt/contact-us/all-other-queries/
If you need assistance, you can contact the Irish Embassy in Cairo, Egypt. If you are an Irish citizen and in need of emergency assistance outside of normal office hours, then you can contact us on the following emergency number: +20 1274443942.
The Australian government advised: If you want to leave, you should depart through the first available commercial option. Airports may pause operations with little notice due to heightened security concerns. This may cause flight delays or cancellations for a sustained period.
England’s Foreign Office is also advising British subjects to leave Lebanon immediately. British nationals in Lebanon should register their presence with the FCDO on
