UK Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, has confirmed that the first evacuation flight carrying British nationals from Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories has departed, as tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Lammy said an RAF A400 aircraft transported 63 UK citizens and their dependants to Cyprus, where they are expected to return home later this evening. Additional evacuation flights are being planned, with priority given to those most in need.
Mr Lammy urged all British nationals still in Israel and the occupied territories to urgently register with the Foreign Office to receive vital safety updates and support.
The UK government had previously held off on evacuation efforts due to closed airspace, but resumed operations following increased regional volatility.
The ongoing conflict was triggered by Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, military targets, and civilian areas—strikes which Israel claims are in response to Iran’s alleged nuclear weapons ambitions.
Iran, however, maintains that its nuclear programme is solely for peaceful purposes. In retaliation, Tehran launched missile and drone attacks on Israeli territory.
Mr Lammy also confirmed that one British national was injured during the Iranian strikes on Israel and is receiving consular assistance. He highlighted the difficulty of aiding UK nationals in Iran, where airspace remains closed and internet access is almost entirely restricted.
Addressing the wider crisis, the Foreign Secretary called on Iran to engage diplomatically following U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear infrastructure over the weekend.
He stated: “My message to Tehran is clear: take the off-ramp, de-escalate immediately, and engage in serious negotiations with the United States. The alternative risks a broader and more devastating regional conflict.”
While the long-term impact of the airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear programme remains uncertain, Mr Lammy stressed that military action alone cannot eliminate Iran’s decades of scientific knowledge or deter any regime intent on building nuclear weapons. A diplomatic resolution, he said, remains the only viable path forward.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Office has advised British citizens in Qatar to “shelter in place” following a U.S. security warning issued out of “an abundance of caution.”
Though Qatari authorities initially downplayed the threat, they subsequently closed the country’s airspace as a precautionary measure to protect residents and visitors.
