Else Beekman
The Spanish government has launched an emergency evacuation operation to extract 500 Spanish nationals, along with citizens of other countries, from Lebanon amidst the escalating conflict between Israel and Lebanon.
Two Air Force planes were dispatched on Thursday to facilitate the evacuation. The first aircraft, an A300, successfully landed in Beirut, while the second, an A400, is expected to arrive later in the morning.
Swift action amid rising conflict
The evacuation is taking place following a surge in violence in the Middle East. This has made commercial routes out of Lebanon increasingly difficult to access. Spain’s Minister of Defence, Margarita Robles, announced on Wednesday that preparations for the evacuation were complete. According to her, 350 to 380 Spaniards were already seeking to leave the country. However, the number quickly grew to 500, as confirmed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. More than 1,000 Spaniards are currently registered as residents in Lebanon.
In an interview, Robles emphasised that Spain has never abandoned its citizens during international crises, citing past evacuation operations in Afghanistan, Niger, and Sudan. She affirmed the Air Force’s readiness to conduct this mission with the same level of professionalism and efficiency as previous operations.
Coordination between ministries
The evacuation operation has been coordinated between the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with Minister José Manuel Albares working closely with Robles. Spanish nationals in Lebanon who are having difficulty leaving via commercial routes have been urged to contact the Spanish Embassy in Beirut via email or a dedicated 24-hour hotline.
The embassy also sent out an urgent message early Thursday morning, alerting Spanish citizens of the availability of two flights departing for Madrid, with a few remaining seats. In response to the overwhelming demand, the embassy has set up five additional phone lines to manage repatriation requests and update contact information for the operation.
Urging citizens to leave
Spain’s Foreign Ministry had previously advised all Spanish citizens, especially tourists and business travellers, to leave Lebanon as soon as possible via the remaining commercial flights. While some managed to leave before the conflict intensified, this evacuation operation is focused on Spanish residents who remained in the country and are now in urgent need of repatriation.