Belgium evacuates 111 people from war-hit Lebanon

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Smoke rises during sunset over Dahiyeh in Beirut’s southern suburbs after Israeli air strikes, amid ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, as seen from Sin El Fil, Lebanon, October 10, 2024. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – A Belgian military plane has evacuated 111 people from Lebanon, Hadja Lahbib, the Belgian minister of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday.

The flight from Beirut to Brussels was carrying 58 Belgian nationals and those with residence rights and 53 Europeans, Lahbib said on social media platform X.

As Israel ramped up its ground and air assault on Lebanese armed group Hezbollah in recent weeks, several countries have have sought to get citizens out, sometimes relying on commercial flights via Turkey.