Australians Urged to Leave Lebanon as Empty Seats Spotted on Evacuation Flights

Australians living in Lebanon have again been urged to leave the country, as many had not boarded evacuation flights despite the escalating conflict. On Oct. 4, Foreign Affairs Assistant Minister Tim Watts issued a fresh warning for Australians hesitant to leave, noting there were less commercial flights available. “We’ve been pleading with Australians in Lebanon to leave for quite some time now, and we’re becoming more direct in those representations,” he told ABC TV. Watts stated that it was understandable why some Australians had not evacuated, saying they still had family, businesses, and properties there. However, the assistant minister stressed it was time to make the decision....