Britain organising flights out of Israel for UK nationals 'early next week', says Foreign Office
The UK government is organising an escape plan for British nationals that are stuck in Israel and the occupied territories as tensions with Iran escalate.
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The Foreign Office said it is "preparing a flight to transport British nationals and their dependents out of Israel and the OPTs [Occupied Palestinian Territories] early next week".
It is launching a form for UK nationals stuck in the region to register their interest in a flight
It said one is being organised for the time being, with "further flights will be considered depending on demand, and the latest security situation".
Israeli airspace has remained close since its military first launched strikes in Iran last week.
Read more: LIVE: US 'obliterates' Iran's nuclear sites as Tehran warns 'dangerous' war has begun
Land borders have stayed open, with the Foreign Office deploying staff to Jordan and Egypt to help British nationals return to the UK.
Those hoping to land a spot on the one flight available for UK nationals next week will not be free, and those hoping to leave will need to register to secure a spot.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: "This is a perilous and volatile moment for the Middle East.
"The safety of British Nationals in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories continues to be our utmost priority – that's why the UK government is preparing flights to help those wanting to leave.
"Working closely with the Israeli authorities, our staff are continuing to work at pace to assist British Nationals on the ground and ensure they receive the support they need."
This comes after US president Donald Trump shocked the world when he announced the US had bombed Iran's underground Fordow plant, one of the country’s key nuclear sites, and two other facilities in the early hours of Sunday morning, calling it a “successful attack”.
He took to Truth Social to announce he had given the go-ahead to attack Iran, using 12 massive 30,000-pound 'bunker buster' bombs and 30 Tomahawk missiles in the strikes.
Iran said it has already launched a wave of retaliatory strikes on Israel, using 40 solid and liquid fuel missiles on targets including Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, a biological research centre and a command centre.
Iran's foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi blasted the US attacks as "extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behaviour".
In a letter to the UN, he blasted the US's "savage and criminal actions," as he requested the Security Council convene an emergency meeting without delay.
"I am writing upon instructions from my government to urgently draw the attention of Your Excellency and the members of the United Nations Security Council to a grave threat to regional and international peace and security arising from the unlawful use of force by the United States against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he wrote.