The Belgian Government has issued orders to deploy military personnel to Cyprus on Thursday in preparation for the potential evacuation of Belgian citizens from Lebanon.
Belgian Defence Minister Ludivine Dedonder announced the decision on Thursday afternoon. The government will also dispatch a B-FAST team to transport medicines and other supplies to Lebanon.
The escalation of conflict in the Middle East, following Israel’s invasion of southern Lebanon where Hezbollah is active, has raised significant concerns. Minister Dedonder has been closely monitoring the situation for over a year, fearing a potential escalation.
On Thursday, a decision was made to send Belgian troops to Cyprus immediately. These troops will be on standby to repatriate Belgians from Lebanon if necessary. Minister Dedonder stated that the Defence Ministry is prepared to evacuate Belgian citizens should the situation worsen.
Currently, there is no military operation underway. "There are still commercial flights from Lebanon," Dedonder noted. The Defence Ministry is awaiting approval from the Foreign Minister to initiate a military operation if needed. Preparation is key to ensure no time is wasted.
As of now, around ninety Belgian citizens in Lebanon have requested repatriation.
