As 1K Canadians leave Lebanon, thousands more still eligible, officials say

As the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah escalates, more than a thousand Canadians have left Lebanon over the past nine days through commercial flights, with more seats available this week.

Since Sept. 29, a total of 1,162 people, including Canadians, permanent residents and immediate family members, have flown out of Lebanon, Global Affairs Canada said in an update on Monday evening.

The federal government began co-ordinating commercially assisted departures for Canadians looking to get out of Lebanon at the end of last month amid an intensifying conflict between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

Global Affairs is booking batches of seats on commercial flights. On Monday, one flight carried 104 Canadians.

Additional flights, with nearly 600 seats available, are scheduled to depart from the Lebanese capital, Beirut, on Tuesday and Wednesday.

“The ongoing crisis has rendered communications extremely difficult throughout Lebanon,” GAC said.

“Despite these challenges, Global Affairs Canada’s Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa continues to work, around the clock, 7 days a week reaching out to Canadian citizens, permanent residents and their immediate family through all available channels.”

Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah mounted after a deadly wave of bombings across Lebanon last month in which explosives hidden in pagers and walkie-talkies killed dozens of people and wounded thousands, including many Hezbollah members.

The Lebanese government and Hezbollah have blamed Israel for the remote attack. But Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility.

Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon have given way to a fast-expanding ground incursion against Hezbollah militants who have continued to fired