Turkey is gearing up for the potential evacuation of its citizens and foreign nationals from Lebanon, as cross-border clashes between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah persist, according to a Turkish defence ministry source on Thursday.
The military possesses the "capability and resources to execute any mission tasked to it for the secure evacuation of our citizens or foreign nationals from Lebanon," the source stated during a briefing. "Preliminary planning and preparations for a potential evacuation operation are underway," the source added, noting that Turkey has successfully conducted such operations in the past and is closely monitoring developments in Lebanon.
Israel escalated its airstrikes in Lebanon on Wednesday, resulting in at least 72 fatalities, according to a Reuters compilation of Lebanese health ministry reports. Several allies, including the UAE, the US, and France, have also called for an immediate 21-day ceasefire along the Israel-Lebanon border.
